Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
The world says, “Do whatever makes you happy!” But while the end result—happiness—is incredible, the process of getting there matters more than the outcome. Doing whatever we want can obviously lead to all kinds of trouble, and the consequences of disregarding the law, our safety, or the feelings of others can knock the happy right out of us. What God commands us to do throughout the Bible is what brings true happiness. And among other things, He commands us over and over to be grateful—to give Him thanks!
As children, we are all taught to say “please” and “thank you” at a very early age. We develop the habit—but only the habit of saying it, not the habit of feeling it. Simply saying “thank you” when someone gives you something or does something nice for you is not necessarily gratitude. The kind of gratitude God expects isn’t like the quick “thank you’s” that toddlers learn. He’s looking for the heart-deep, life-changing gratitude that transcends disappointments, frustrations, depression, illness, suffering, loss, and all of life’s not-so-pleasant moments. God wants us to be truly grateful for who He is, for what He has done, and for every little thing in our lives—even the disappointments, frustrations, depression, illness, suffering, loss, and not-so-pleasant things! He wants us to be thankful in ALL circumstances, because through every single one, HE is still working for our good (Romans 8:28)!
Scientists are just now discovering what God has obviously always known: Gratitude actually leads to happiness! It literally changes your brain when you focus on the things for which you are truly thankful!. Scientists finally understand that genuine gratitude leads to better physical and mental health, better sleep quality, a more optimistic outlook on life, a more positive self-image, and greater compassion for others. And the truth is that if you can’t be grateful for all that you already have, you can’t be truly happy! When you spend your time looking within, rather than looking at your generous and gracious God, you will definitely miss His blessings. If you are alive, loved, fed, have a family, friends, a home, clothes, clean water, and you can read this, you are beyond blessed in this world! Thank Jesus for every one of those blessings and keep that list going, because gratitude changes everything! You are loved!!
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