Oh, brother, how to celebrate Thanksgiving?
And I don’t mean the great “Invite-Grandma-Or-Not Debate of 2020.”
I mean, if I’m honest, I’m much more apt to list my grievances than to count my blessings this year.
But did you know that giving thanks, actively practicing gratitude, brings amazing scientifically-proven benefits?
They include:
- Improved psychological and physical health
- Better sleep
- More confidence
- Stronger relationships
- Greater resilience
To quote one gratitude expert: “It is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” David Steindl-Rast
Centuries before we had any scientific studies, or helpful websites like gratefulness.org encouraging gratitude, the Bible has been teaching us to be thankful. Over 100 times “give thanks” is mentioned in scripture. We are told, not only to be generally grateful—but to give a Name to the source of our blessings. To thank the One from whom all good gifts come.
“Give thanks to the LORD for He is good. For His steadfast love endures forever” Psalm 107:1 and elsewhere).
Give thanks—to whom? To the LORD. Why? He is good. His love is strong and forever.
He is good. He is never bad. He is never irritable, or impatient or unkind. He is never easily angered. He is not arrogant. He doesn’t mock you or look down on you. He is good. And wise and noble and gentle and honest and trustworthy and faithful and kind.
And not only that but while He is busy being good to you, He is busy loving you—with a love that is stronger than your greatest love. No one has ever loved you like the LORD. His is a forever love that never dies. A forever love that doesn’t diminish over time. He doesn’t fall out of love. He doesn’t move on. No parent, child, lover, or friend’s love comes close.
Our Creator knew that life would smack us around with all sorts of drama. Circumstances can overwhelm us like the ocean’s wave after wave after wave. And when it feels like all hope is lost and there is not one blessing left to count: There, even there, we have a precious gift to hold onto. A precious reason to give thanks.
The Lord is good. His steadfast love endures forever.
As you meditate on the heart of God this Thanksgiving, I pray it will create in you a gratitude so great you need a journal to capture all the goodness 2020 has brought.
Happy Thanksgiving!
You can read more about the science of Gratitude here:
Seven Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude
The Neuroscience of Gratitude