6 Ways Gratitude Can Transform Your Finances This Fall
Finances
Audio By Carbonatix
11:30 AM on Monday, October 27
By Clarence L. Haynes Jr., Finances
1. Gratitude Shifts Focus from Lack to Abundance
Gratitude has its roots in giving thanks. Being thankful is something the Bible commands us to do, and one offshoot of giving thanks is a mind shift. Everyone can look at their life and see things that are missing from it. Maybe you don't have the role you want at your job or the salary you desire. It's possible that your finances are not where you want them to be, or you thought you would be further along in life than you are right now. If you look hard enough, I am sure we all have some of these stories.
However, when you view life from this perspective, it focuses on what you lack instead of the abundance you possess. Maybe you don't have the job you want, but you have a job. Perhaps you haven't saved enough for retirement, but you still have some money saved. Regardless of what you find lacking, you can always shift your mindset to one of gratitude. In fact, let's try it right now. Make a list of all the things you have that you can be thankful for. Every time you think of something else, keep adding to this list. I am confident that when it is all done, you will discover there is more you have than what you lack.
2. Gratitude Curbs Impulse Spending
I am always amazed when people walk into a closet full of clothes and declare I have nothing to wear. It is not true. What we are really saying is I have nothing new to wear or anything that fits this occasion. That is the more honest saying. This stems from a mindset of scarcity rather than one of abundance. When you think this way, it can lead you to make impulse purchases because I "need" something new (I will allow you to fill in the blank).
If we are honest, most of the stuff we declare we need is simply things we want. I am not saying there is anything wrong with buying things you want if you can afford them, just view those things from the proper perspective. If you always view yourself as not having enough, it can lead you to make impulse purchases. While that might feed a temporary feeling in the moment, if they are unplanned or out of your budget, then they may have longer-term consequences. The next time you walk into your closet and declare you have nothing to wear, simply say thank you for the clothes you have to wear. That one thing may cause you to refrain from spending money on something you don't really need.
3. Gratitude Encourages Contentment Over Comparison
We live in a culture of comparison. Social media has exacerbated this phenomenon. This is nothing new in our human experience, dating back to the story of Cain and Abel. Cain was jealous because God accepted Abel's offering and rejected his. This is comparison, and its roots run throughout our DNA as humans.
The problem with comparison is that it leads to discontentment. Regardless of what you have, it never feels good enough. Rather than being satisfied and content with your "blessing," you are disappointed because it is not as big as someone else's. You even use language that belies this condition. You become a victim of the "only's." What are the only's you ask? This is when you position things as only and miss the greater blessing. This is usually born out of a comparison of some kind. Here are some examples:
You read that you should have $1 million in your retirement account by a certain age, and you respond by thinking I only have $650,000.
You discover that people with your degree on average make $100,000 per year, and you think to yourself I only make $85,000.
Your coworker brags about earning a ten percent return in their 401(k), and you think I am only earning six.
The problem with the only's is that it causes you to miss the blessing you currently have because it doesn't feel as good as someone else's. Often, the problem with comparison is that you don't know what the person did to arrive at that place. Maybe they started saving earlier than you. It could be that they knew someone who referred them to the higher-paying job. They may be willing to take way more investment risk than you are comfortable with. It does not matter what the issue is. Learn to be content with what you have. It does not mean you don't strive for better. It means you don't do it because you are trying to compete with some mythical standard of where someone else is or where you should be.
4. Gratitude Motivates Generosity
When you find gratitude in what you have, it becomes easier to be generous with others. Many times, a lack of generosity comes from a fear of feeling like you don't have enough. However, once you can move past this mindset, then you can share not out of what you don't have but what you do. This is the motivation that speaks to giving like the widow in Luke 21. Even though she had very little, she gave out of all she had, and Jesus said she gave more than anyone else. This further highlights that the size of the gift does not determine how generous or grateful you are. When we have a mindset of gratitude, it loosens the purse strings and lends itself to an increase in generosity.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/CatLane
5. Gratitude Improves Financial Decision-Making
Many financial decisions we make are emotional ones. Think back to many of the choices you made; what you will discover is that we buy on emotion and rationalize it later. That's why car sales agents try to get you emotionally attached to the car because they know it increases the probability of making the sale. While not all emotional decisions are bad, you must ask yourself what is the emotion motivating your reason for buying. This is another place where gratitude plays a big role. Imagine these two scenarios.
-Person A came into some money and wants to buy a new car. Their car is still running well, but they feel left behind because all the friends in their circle are now driving brand new cars. With the help of this additional money, they can be like everyone else.
-Person B also came into some money and is interested in purchasing a new car. They are thankful for the vehicle they have, and they know it can support them for another 2-3 years. However, because they have this extra money, they want to explore the idea of purchasing a new car.
Who do you believe is better positioned to make a wiser financial decision between these two people?
Hopefully, you chose Person B. The reason is not that they can't make a poor decision; it's because they are most likely not going to make an emotional one. Gratitude makes you appreciate what you have without feeling like you must always get something better. This opposes emotional financial decisions, which often lead to some very costly choices.
6. Gratitude Deepens Your Sense of Stewardship
Here is one final way gratitude can transform you. What if instead of viewing things as owners, you viewed them as managers? The manager takes care of what the owner has entrusted to him. With our finances, that is what we are. If we believe God owns it all, then that means we are merely managers of His stuff. With this mindset, it increases stewardship because we know we are accountable to the owner for how we manage his property. Stewardship frees you to be generous and thankful for all God has entrusted you with, because you know it didn't come from you.
The Wrap-Up
Gratitude isn't just a virtue for Thanksgiving tables or Sunday sermons; it's one of the most practical financial strategies you'll ever practice. When you choose to focus on what you already have, you stop letting lack and comparison rule your choices. By practicing thankfulness, you avoid unnecessary purchases, enjoy what's yours, make wiser decisions, and even find joy in giving to others.
As you move through this fall season, let gratitude guide your perspective on money. Appreciate every blessing, big or small, that God has placed in your path. Measure your success not by what you possess, but by the peace, generosity, and purposeful stewardship you embody. When gratitude is your starting point, you'll always find yourself on firmer ground financially, emotionally, and spiritually.
