Welcome to the feminine podcast. This is Nancy Wilson. Thanks so much for joining me today.

The topic today is gratitude. What is it? Gratitude is expressing

thanks. And what is thanks? It turns out it's rather hard to define. It's to verbalize the gratitude that you feel.

It's almost like a little circular definition here. You're pleased and you express the thanks.

The Hebrew term for gratitude is a word I can't pronounce, but it means literally recognizing the good, at least that's what I found in my research.

And if you think about it when you're thankful or grateful, that's because you see the good of the thing,

the good of the gift, or the good of the situation and you recognize it and you give thanks.

Of course we are to be characterized as a thankful and grateful people.

The Bible identifies us as God's own special people in

Titus 214 and 1st Peter 29. That we may be zealous for good works and proclaim his praise.

Gratitude is certainly expressed in praise.

Our word gratitude comes from a Latin root meaning pleasing, welcome, or agreeable.

The root of joy is gratitude.

It is not joy that makes us grateful. It is gratitude that makes us joyful.

So look closely and you'll find that people are happy because they're grateful.

Psalm 100 verse verse 4, says,

enter into his gates with Thanksgiving

and into his courts with praise.

Be thankful to him and bless his name.

And 1st Thessalonians 5-8 says in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

So Thanksgiving and praise and gratitude and blessing are all associated with the people of God.

First Chronicles 168, Oh give thanks to the Lord.

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