The Power of Gratitude 

It has not been the habit of the majority of the human race to think of gratitude as a generator of power. To most of us it suggests a warm, pleasant feeling occasioned by benefits received and an admirable quality to cultivate. Power, however, means to us the ability to do or accomplish. What, we ask, can gratitude do or accomplish? Yet behind it is spiritual law, and in all spiritual law is energy that will work for us when we apply it correctly.

Gratitude is a composite of seeing and feeling, of seeing good, and of feeling a corresponding reaction at the heart or love center.

Seeing good is God’s way of seeing.

It is creative and brings good into manifestation. The intellect may recognize a thing as good without there being a response at the heart. This, properly speaking, is not gratitude, for which the love reaction is necessary.

One definition of gratitude given by the dictionary is “a sense of appreciation of favors received.” Appreciation implies a nice sense of values; therefore true gratitude has a nice sense of values, is born of the spirit behind the gift. This true gratitude takes no account of the outer value of the gift but of the love that prompts it, and it responds in kind. “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only; in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward.” …

Through seeing good and meditating upon it and responding at the love center, power and spiritual energy are generated.

To make this effective in our life and a blessing to others we must release it.

In hoarding it we close the channels to richer benefits and prevent its action in substance, hence it does not bring a substantial increase. Praise is the natural expression of gratitude, the means whereby we release the spiritual power and energy engendered thereby. 

In praise, the result of seeing good, we pour forth the forces of joy, gladness, and goodwill that affect all with whom we come in contact, and set in motion a magnetic current that carries a blessing to all and brings one back the return tide.

… So on the ladder of praise we may climb to the higher gratitude, the high state of seeing and feeling absolute good. So may we know that the Father hath given us “all power ... in heaven and in earth.” So may we bring forth all good into manifestation. 

This article appeared in Unity Magazine®.