Christian Collegiates Strive for Gratitude and Contentment

"In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 ESV

Living with purpose and engagement is essential to a life honoring God, and practicing gratitude can help. The benefits of gratitude for students go beyond immediate happiness. Christian students who engage in routines to develop a positive mindset of gratitude and contentment can more easily overcome the stresses and challenges of college life.

The Joy of Gratitude and Contentment as a Christian

There is nothing more powerful than faith in the Lord, and it is through gratitude and contentment that we demonstrate our devotion. Learning to lead a thankful life will help strengthen your bond with God and with those you serve in your family, community, and the world. Embracing gratitude and contentment are key pillars in a life of servant leadership.

Living Powerfully Through Faith

The key to gratitude and contentment is to consistently practice it through good times and bad. Your faith in the Lord will guide you through even the hardest times. The challenges and difficulties we perceive give us strength when we view them as blessings. Writing for Desiring God, author Jon Bloom reminds us that God "has given us the simple, hard secret: Trust me. It is the only way."

By cultivating contentment through life's obstacles, we are living powerfully with trust and faith. If we are ready to commit our lives to the Lord's plan, then we must do so with gratitude every day.

Cultivating Gratitude through God

The power of gratitude to God goes beyond our relationship with the Lord; it reaches our relationships in all aspects of life. Researchers — professors from across the nation who joined a John Templeton Foundation-funded gratitude project — see evidence that "gratitude to God magnifies and amplifies the effects of gratitude toward other people." As Christian students, spreading gratitude through words and actions is one of the central ways you can serve the Lord.

Kristi Coleman, the Director of Prayer Ministry at DBU, suggests keeping a gratitude journal and asking yourself questions such as, "What's something someone did for you and how did it impact you?" or "What's something good in your life that's ending soon? What are you grateful for?". Remembering what God has done in your life and expressing gratefulness can have dramatic positive effects on your life.

Challenges to Contentment During College Life 

College is a time of exploration and fun, but it can also be challenging. Students face physical, mental, and emotional obstacles throughout these years, which can take our eyes off God's daily expressions of love.

Competing Responsibilities

As a college student, you're trying to balance many new experiences of your young adult life. Classes, church, friends, family, service, and hobbies are just some of the different directions you'll likely be pulled every day. It can be hard to count your blessings when you're overwhelmed by responsibility.

Lack of Direction

Many college students enter school without a clear plan for their future careers. While this is exciting and opens the door to adventures, it can be stressful to make daily decisions without knowing the bigger picture. It's easy to dwell on life's uncertainties and let crippling anxiety take over. It takes intentionality to thank God for each day's small blessings, even when life seems unsettled.

New Environments

Leaving home, friends, and family can be stressful. Even if you're from the Dallas area, moving to campus or spending most of your days away from home is a big change. You might feel lonely or isolated as you try to find new friends and support groups.

How to Promote a Positive Mindset in College

Despite the challenges of college, Christian students can cultivate a positive outlook filled with gratitude and contentment by turning to God.

Develop a Routine

What are daily gratitude practices for college students? Trying out a simple routine that includes positive affirmations, reflection, and time spent in thanks for as little as 21 days can have a positive impact on your attitude and ability to experience joy in the Lord. Here are several ideas to consider as you practice contentment and thankfulness in college.

• Spend time each day journaling to express your blessings from God. You can choose a gratitude devotional to follow or select journaling prompts of your own. Ask yourself how you see God's hand in these blessings, especially the ones that present as challenges at the beginning.
• Share your gratitude with others. Whether during Bible study or just lunch with friends, begin a practice of sharing your blessings out loud. Be curious and ask others about their daily blessings as well.
• Practice self-compassion. While being grateful to others may be easy, it can be difficult to overcome our inner critics. Practicing gratitude includes being kind to yourself, so incorporate moments of self-compassion into your day. Speak a positive affirmation into the mirror before you leave, forgive yourself for small mistakes, and end each day by thanking yourself for working hard through life's challenges.

Seek Fellowship

Gratitude is multiplied when you share blessings with others. Being in fellowship helps us see the positive parts of life more easily, especially if we surround ourselves with others who share our Christian values and keep us motivated. Attend church in the Dallas area and seek out mentorship from faculty and advanced students. The DBU Baptist Student Ministry can help you find life-giving communities throughout Dallas to add to your support network, and seeking a biblical community can offer additional opportunities to connect with others.

Intentionally Engage in Worship

Whether alone or in a large group, intentional worship is one of the best ways to focus on the positive aspects of college life. DBU's Spiritual Life offers many opportunities each day to "commit to a more worshipful lifestyle," including gathering in a group and serving others across campus and around the world.

Be Purposeful with Choices

Feeling lost and overwhelmed may be a standard part of college life, but it doesn't mean you are without purpose. Building your spiritual and academic knowledge to go into the world and serve the Lord is your calling as a student at DBU. Recognizing that each choice along your path can move you toward that goal is an excellent way to find moments of gratitude and contentment.

When faced with a decision, turn to prayer. Ask if each next step brings you closer to God. 

Consciously envision the blessings you've already received and how they tie into future plans as you make your decision. And don't avoid your calling for fear of failure. In fact, new research with undergraduate students of faith shows that gratitude to God through adversity can provide the same feelings of spiritual closeness that happen when you thank God for success.