Defiant Gratitude

Give thanks to God the Father for everything.
                                  —Ephesians 5:20

Dr. Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at the University of California, Davis, and author of The Little Book of Gratitude: Create a Life of Happiness and Well-Being by Giving Thanks, coined the term “defiant gratitude.” Defiant gratitude is the attitude of being grateful even when the going is tough; taking charge of your feelings about a situation instead of letting the situation take charge of your feelings.

How do you pull that off?

One way is to intentionally think about people who have done something for you that you could never have done for yourself.

Another is to think about the people you’ve been taking for granted: those who serve you, encourage you, care for you—those who make your life pleasant.

The last two paragraphs could keep you busy for a while.

Zap ingratitude by being intentionally grateful.

Scroll to Top