The Gratitude Effect

John Kralik was in a bad place. The LA attorney was generally miserable…divorced again, broke, and living in a dingy apartment with no air conditioning. He was also struggling to pay his employees because clients wouldn’t pay him. Not exactly glamorous, but then John did an amazing thing. He decided he would concentrate on things to be grateful for, and follow that up with writing a thank you note every day for an entire year.

Over time, and not too slowly actually, John’s life began to improve. Life looked good again. One of the greatest outcomes has been the influence he’s had on others. His book, “A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning To Say Thank You Changed My Life” sold like crazy. He said that the year-long thank you notes helped him prioritize good things, and helped him focus on that.

John also has noticed a really interesting thing. A person’s natural tendency is to focus on nine things that go wrong. Yet what would happen if we focused instead on even a single good thing? He understands that we all can help each other. Rising tide lifts all boats, as they say. Just as we can help others form the discipline of gratitude, they can be our accountability in a very real way.

Every day we can text, email, call, or otherwise communicate to friends and family things that we’re grateful for. In turn, we can receive their good reports. 

Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which indeed you were called in one body and be thankful.”

Whether it’s a community of believers or simply the wider culture, we can help each other every single day by passing along what we’re grateful for. There’s power in telling another what they mean to you, or passing along thanks for something as simple as a shared meal. Such a choice doesn’t cost anything, but it piles up spiritual treasure for us. Pretty soon you’ll be grateful just for being grateful.

Let’s pray. 

Father God, your blessings to us are endless. From the perfect distance from the sun for proper warmth and light to the love that you placed in our hearts for family and friends, you’re a good God, and you’re deserving of our praise. We look forward to a glorious future with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
John Kralik was in a bad place.
The LA attorney was generallymiserable, divorced again, broke
, and living in a dingyapartment with no air
conditioning.
He was also struggling to payhis employees because clients
wouldn't pay him.
Not exactly glamorous.
But then John did an amazingthing.
He decided he would concentrateon things to be grateful for

(00:23):
and follow that up with writinga thank you note every day for
an entire year.
Over time and not too slowlyactually John's life began to
improve.
Life looked good again.
One of the greatest outcomeshas been the influence he's had
on others.
His book, a Simple Act ofGratitude how Learning to Say

(00:43):
Thank you Changed my Life, soldlike crazy.
He said that the year-longthank you notes helped him
prioritize good things andhelped him focus on that.
John also has noticed a reallyinteresting thing.
A person's natural tendency isto focus on nine things that go
wrong, yet what would happen ifwe focused instead on even a

(01:04):
single good thing?
He understands that we all canhelp each other.
The rising tide lifts all boats, as they say.
Just as we can help others formthe discipline of gratitude,
they can be our accountabilityin a very real way.
Every day we can text, email,call or otherwise communicate to

(01:24):
friends and family things thatwe're grateful for.
In turn, we can receive theirgood reports.
Colossians 3.15 says Let thepeace of Christ rule in your
hearts, to which, indeed, youwere called in one body, and be
thankful.
Whether it's a community ofbelievers or simply the wider
culture, we can help each otherevery single day by passing

(01:47):
along what we're grateful for.
There's power in tellinganother what they mean to you,
or passing along thanks forsomething as simple as a shared
meal.
Such a choice doesn't costanything, but it piles up
spiritual treasure for us.
Pretty soon, you'll be gratefuljust for being grateful.

(02:08):
Let's pray, father God, yourblessings to us are endless,
from the perfect distance fromthe sun for proper warmth and
light to the love that youplaced in our hearts for family
and friends.
You're a good God and you'redeserving of our praise.

(02:28):
Proper warmth and light to thelove that you placed in our
hearts for family and friends.
You're a good God and you'redeserving of our praise.
We look forward to a gloriousfuture with you, in Jesus' name,
amen.
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