Surprisingly, world voices say it too: being grateful is the best way to live life.
A post on the American Heart Association site says, "“Clinical trials indicate that the practice of gratitude can have dramatic and lasting effects in a person’s life. It can lower blood pressure and improve immune function. ... Grateful people engage in more exercise, have better dietary behaviors, are less likely to smoke and abuse alcohol and have higher rates of medication adherence.”
A post on the Mayo Clinic Health care site tells us, " Studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve sleep, mood and immunity. Gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain and risk of disease."
Psychology Today gives us seven benefits of living gratefully: Better relationships, better physical health; better psychological health; gratitude increases empathy and lowers aggression; better sleep; increases mental strength and improved self esteem.
Thanksgiving week is next week -- an entire National Day to give thanks to God for life and for Him and well, for everything and anything. But don't way till then. Start now. It's easy. Start with what you see. Thank you God for my hot cup of Coffee. Thank you God for my Bible. Thank you God for my sunglasses. Thank you God I can read. Thank you God for the air I'm breathing....you get it.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Ephesians 5:20 says, "giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
Philippians 2:14 says, "Do all things without grumbling or disputing,"
Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians 4:2 says, "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."
Colossians 2:7 tells us to abound "in thanksgiving."
Philippians 4:4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice."
Even if you have dealt with horrible tragedies this year, even if you feel like you've lost everything -- you can still practice being thankful. And yes, it is a practice because we humans like to grumble.
If you catch yourself grumbling/complaining, stop and put that thankful heart on. If you're in the middle of a conversation with a grumbler, stop the conversation and ask them what they are thankful for.
Living a thankful life is good for us, but it is also a command from God. He loves his kids to be thankful (and if you're a parent or in anyway deal with people you should understand this -- grateful people are much pleasanter to be around than complainers and grumblers).
So, start right now. Make a list of what you are grateful for. Start with just three things. Challenge yourself to be grateful all day and see how you feel at the end of the day. Living gratefully will make everything better -- even lousy situations. And you know that person you dread seeing at work? Make it a point to say hello to that person and give them a huge smile every morning. They very likely need you to do this.
Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you Jesus!