And the science says? Practice gratitude to experience it

Yes, the Bible tells us to be grateful. 

The Scriptures say we should give thanks to God (Ps. 107:1), that we should abound in it (Col. 2:7), and do so in all circumstances since it’s the will of God (1 Thes. 5:18).

But there’s some science that backs up what the Bible has been saying all along. 

According to a 2003 study titled, “Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life,” it compared the well-being of those who kept a list of things they were grateful for as opposed to participants who kept a list of things that bothered them.

The results of the study demonstrated that “a conscious focus on blessings may have emotional and interpersonal benefits.” 

In other words, the study revealed that choosing to be grateful led to gratitude and overall improved well-being. One’s focus determined one’s feelings.

Yes, gratitude is not just something that happens to us. It’s something we can trigger and generate.

This is big because of the many benefits research has and continues to uncover about gratitude. There are studies that have demonstrated the neuroscience of gratitude and how it affects our brain, that gratitude can decrease feelings of depression, lead individuals to be more generous, and even sleep better. 

Since there are so many benefits, isn’t gratitude something we’d want to trigger more often?

How We Can Trigger Gratitude  

1. Give Thanks to the Lord. 

We can directly and personally express gratitude to God through our thinking, prayers, journaling, or singing. We don’t have to complicate it. We can simply say, “Lord, thank you for ______________” at specific and strategic times in the day. It’s really that simple, but gratefulness on repeat will be a life that experiences gratitude before the face of the Lord. 

2. Express Your Gratitude with Others 

We can do this through conversation moments or by creating a gratitude challenge with our friends where we express our gratitude twice a day, every day, for a month. We can share with our spouses at the beginning or end of each day. We can express ourselves through social media or send text messages to those we’re grateful for. 

A Few Things To Be Grateful For 

1. Everyday things we take for granted

From the bed we sleep on, to the toothbrush we use, to the fresh air we breathe in the morning, to the old car we use to get to work, there are so many things we experience and use that we take for granted. It’s usually not until something is taken away or we experience an inconvenience that we see what great gifts these things are. It may feel odd to give thanks for some of these things at first, but they’re still gifts from God.

2. The unique opportunities and gifts we’ve been given

Every person I know has a unique talent, wiring, or has been the recipient of a unique open door of some kind in one’s life. Have you noticed everyone has a certain unique advantage? Someone may not be the most intellectual, but they have remarkable relational abilities. Or someone may not have been great at networking but they were blessed to know the one right person. It’s funny (almost sad) how easily we can lose the awe over our God’s wisdom and provision.  

3. A faithful God who is faithful to forgive 

The Christian God is a God who does not first say to us, “Give me more” but “Look at all I’ve given you.” Yes, he has given us biological life, but he has given us a deeper life in the soul by giving us himself. He has provided satisfaction for our souls in an unsatisfied world. He has provided an identity as belonging to him in a world burdened from identity’s search. But most importantly of all, he has provided forgiveness for our sins. And all of this he accomplished by sending us the most precious thing of all - his own Son. 

Conclusion

Everyone can experience gratitude. The science says so. 

But the Christian? We should be the most grateful people in the world.

Personally, I have found the art and practice of gratitude to be a powerful elixir for my soul.

Gratitude has helped me to push back against anxious thoughts. It has lifted my perspectives to greener pastures in the face of discontentment. It has tethered me to see a generous Father of abundance despite a leaning towards a mindset of scarcity. I have experienced gratitude change my soul.

I hope you can experience it too.

But don’t take my word for it, take God’s Word.