Does God feel gratitude?


laronius
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On the surface this seems like an obvious answer but when we consider what gratitude means and we also consider how all things are God's already is gratitude a godly attribute or just a divinely appointed attribute for those who are to any degree less than He is? Obviously how we define gratitude/thankfulness will factor in so it would be helpful to maybe share your definition of it when expressing your views but I thought it would be a worthwhile discussion in coming to better understand the importance of gratitude in our own lives.

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When I sat down to define for myself what gratitude means to me I defined it as: the feeling evoked by the recognition that something of value to us and yet not entirely within our ability alone to obtain is yet made available to us. After writing that out I thought it sounded a whole lot like the definition of grace. After a little research I found out why. Both words gratitude and grace have close original ties to the Latin words gratia meaning kindness, favour, and esteem and the word gratus meaning pleasing.

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13 minutes ago, laronius said:

On the surface this seems like an obvious answer but when we consider what gratitude means and we also consider how all things are God's already is gratitude a godly attribute or just a divinely appointed attribute for those who are to any degree less than He is? Obviously how we define gratitude/thankfulness will factor in so it would be helpful to maybe share your definition of it when expressing your views but I thought it would be a worthwhile discussion in coming to better understand the importance of gratitude in our own lives.

In the scriptures we learn that God's Work and Glory is to bring to past the immortally and eternal life of man.

Do you think that when one of us, one of his children, one of his works....Chooses to use their agency to humble themselves and bow to God's rules and plan...  That the Heaven do not rejoice?  Is not rejoicing a form of gratitude?

Was not the Father of the Prodigal Son grateful when his wayward son returned to him?

While the Father has given us everything... It is our agency that allows us to give something to him... Aka our hearts, and minds.

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1 minute ago, estradling75 said:

In the scriptures we learn that God's Work and Glory is to bring to past the immortally and eternal life of man.

Do you think that when one of us, one of his children, one of his works....Chooses to use their agency to humble themselves and bow to God's rules and plan...  That the Heaven do not rejoice?  Is not rejoicing a form of gratitude?

Was not the Father of the Prodigal Son grateful when his wayward son returned to him?

While the Father has given us everything... It is our agency that allows us to give something to him... Aka our hearts, and minds.

First of all let me make the point that I am not saying that I do not believe God feels gratitude. My thoughts are still in fact evolving as it is a thought I have not really considered in the past and have had no more than a few moments to consider. My hope is to flesh out the idea.

But to address your specific comment while the feeling of joy and gladness are often accompanied by the feeling of gratitude they are not actually the same thing. 

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32 minutes ago, laronius said:

On the surface this seems like an obvious answer but when we consider what gratitude means and we also consider how all things are God's already is gratitude a godly attribute or just a divinely appointed attribute for those who are to any degree less than He is? Obviously how we define gratitude/thankfulness will factor in so it would be helpful to maybe share your definition of it when expressing your views but I thought it would be a worthwhile discussion in coming to better understand the importance of gratitude in our own lives.

Using this definition: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/gratitude?lang=eng

I think God does feel "appreciation and thankfulness for blessings or benefits" He receives. He has relationships among other exalted wife, family and friends who bless His life daily. I believe He feels gratitude when we render our wills to Him:

"In conclusion, the submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!" https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1995/10/swallowed-up-in-the-will-of-the-father?lang=eng

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5 minutes ago, CV75 said:

Using this definition: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/gratitude?lang=eng

I think God does feel "appreciation and thankfulness for blessings or benefits" He receives. He has relationships among other exalted wife, family and friends who bless His life daily. I believe He feels gratitude when we render our wills to Him:

"In conclusion, the submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!" https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1995/10/swallowed-up-in-the-will-of-the-father?lang=eng

I think you make a great point about His relationship with other exalted beings. I also like this part of the definition from the link you provided: Gratitude is an uplifting, exalting attitude.

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There is a term is science called "tightly coupled".  What this means that two things which are different are joined together in such a way that in separating them destroys their individual properties.  For example a man and a woman tightly coupled in the covenant of marriage become "one".  This implies that the "fullness" if each is only achieved the the union of the two (or all involved).  This is often expressed at the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

I believe being thankful or having gratitude is tightly coupled to having love for someone or something.  So without gratitude for someone we cannot love them and vice verse with out love for someone we cannot have gratitude for them.

In other threads there has been talk of divine punishments for the wicked - but I understand punishments as separate from consequences but rather added to consequences.   For me, it is a misunderstanding to believe that G-d is adds punishments out of anger and hatred towards those that do evil.  Rather, out of love and gratitude he allows and fosters agency - and then out of love and gratitude grants the desires (even though G-d is not happy with the desires and choices) of those that choose differently.

 

The Traveler

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It's all about definitions. 

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 an agreeable emotion, consisting in or accompanied with good will to a benefactor, and a disposition to make a suitable return of benefits or services, or when no return can be made, with a desire to see the benefactor prosperous and happy

With the Lord, the only "benefactor" may be His Father.  And the Father in turn is "well pleased" with His Son.  But if there is no one "giving" a benefit or service to God, then a similar feeling of "joy" or "agreeable emotion" may be felt.  But the idea of "a benefactor" is not there.

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a virtue of the highest excellence, as it implies a feeling and generous heart, and a proper sense of duty.

This definition doesn't require a benefactor. This emotion certainly can be felt by the Lord.

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28 And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?

29 And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?

...

32 The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;

...

37 But behold, their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers; Satan shall be their father, and misery shall be their doom; and the whole heavens shall weep over them, even all the workmanship of mine hands; wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?

  -- Moses 7: 28,29,32,37

The Lord CAN feel all the range of emotions that we can feel.  But many of the negative ones (despair, fear, discouragement) are usually brought about by bowing to an evil spirit.  As such, these are not part of his range that he DOES feel.

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I would disagree with the idea that the Lord is as analyzed above.  We look at his actions from a temporal point of view that has no real ability to understand what lies beyond what we can see with our eyes and experience with our limited mortal spheres.

This life to him, is the merest of instants.  He started it, and he can end it.  It would be as if you told your child that they were going to their room for a minute (actually less than that, but a minute may help understanding better).  In that room they forget all that was beyond that room, but the parent remembers.  The Parent can take them out of the room anytime they want.  The child may fear what lies beyond the room and may even think it's punishment to get them out of the room, but once out they discover there is far more out there than what was in the room.  Is the parent cruel or evil for taking the child out of the room early?

The Lord also is our Savior.  He is the ONLY way to escape sin and death.  He has provided a way for us to do that, but we need to focus on how it is that we can overcome these things.  We are given the commandments to keep him in our heart and pray continually for our benefit...not his.  It is to help us keep focused on what is important (escaping hell...for starters) which has only ONE solution...the Lord.  We keep him constantly in mind and looking to him in order for us to stay on the path of salvation and exaltation.

The world seems to be a very complex place...so complex at times that many scientists doubt that there is another world that could have what we have.  They attribute life as a very rare chance occurrence.  It seems to me more that whoever designed and created the world was a mastermind of creation and making ecological systems that balance out with each other so that life has continued to go on in this world for Millions of years if not longer (as per science).

To me, it seems that the Lord is more of a concerned and merciful parent who has a broader view and greater understanding of how creation works and what it really is, and takes actions accordingly while we, as the children are still limited in our view to what we can see in our rooms...and can't see what is outside of the room...much less understand it at this point. 

 

AND...more on the topic of this thread, I DO think the Lord has feelings as well as his parents and brothers and sisters, and as such, can feel gratitude.

Edited by JohnsonJones
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On 11/21/2020 at 10:42 AM, laronius said:

On the surface this seems like an obvious answer but when we consider what gratitude means and we also consider how all things are God's already is gratitude a godly attribute or just a divinely appointed attribute for those who are to any degree less than He is? Obviously how we define gratitude/thankfulness will factor in so it would be helpful to maybe share your definition of it when expressing your views but I thought it would be a worthwhile discussion in coming to better understand the importance of gratitude in our own lives.

If, as is often asserted (such as in the King Follett Discourse), God was once a man who existed in a fallen state, then God does indeed feel gratitude. He feels it not just for those of his children who sincerely come unto him for life and salvation, but he also feels intense gratitude for having been rescued and redeemed from a lost and fallen state and raised to a state of eternal glory by that Being who was the Savior of his fallen world.

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On 11/21/2020 at 12:10 PM, laronius said:

First of all let me make the point that I am not saying that I do not believe God feels gratitude. My thoughts are still in fact evolving as it is a thought I have not really considered in the past and have had no more than a few moments to consider. My hope is to flesh out the idea.

 

Jesus said that when we see Him, we see the Father. In John 11:41 after he raised Lazarus from the dead:

" Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I athank thee that thou hast heard me."

When He instituted the sacrament he said:

" And he took the acup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, bDrink ye all of it; "

When he fed the 5,000 he also showed gratitude:

" And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given athanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. "

 

 
Edited by Suzie
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