There are many, many verses in the Bible that instruct us to be thankful and to express our thankfulness. I’ll list just a few of them here:
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” Psalm 100:4
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 107:1
“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.” Timothy 4:4
God created mankind in such a way that when we do have an attitude of thankfulness we benefit spiritually, emotionally and even physically.
And scientific research is continually discovering and documenting this link between principles of the Christian faith and our wellbeing. Science shows that gratitude activates the hypothalamus in the brain with downstream effects on metabolism, stress, and various behaviors that relate to, and impact on, one’s health.
So, when our attitudes, actions and speech align with principles and instructions in the Bible, a byproduct is that it favors wellbeing.
I pray that you have a ‘thankful‘ heart and will ‘give thanks‘ throughout the year….. not just during this time of year!
And, Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Read about some of the research that has been done on the benefits of gratitude on the Harvard University website.
Related Resources
