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An Attitude of Gratitude

An Attitude of Gratitude

It is Thanksgiving here in the United States of America again, and this affords us the opportunity to reflect on our blessings and give thanks to our Creator God.

In 2009, I wrote a blog entitled “Thankfulness and Your Health” in which I explored the research documenting the health benefits of having a thankful mindset.

Since that time, new research has confirmed the health benefits of gratitude:

  • A 2013 study found that gratitude was positively correlated with better physical and psychological health, and this positive effect on health increased with age. [1]
  • A 2013 study documented a link between the level of parents’ gratitude and the gratitude level of their children—with a greater linkage for mother-child relationship than father-child relationship. [2]
  • A 2015 study of hospital-based healthcare workers compared those who for four weeks journaled thankful work-events with those who journaled stressful work-events or didn’t journal at all. The study found that those in the thankful group had reduced stress and reduced depression scores compared to the other two groups. [3]
  • A 2016 study of 118 adults found that gratitude reduced the experience of loneliness and significantly predicted fewer physical health problems, such as sleep disturbance, headaches, respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal ailments. [4]

These benefits are likely related to the way that our thoughts, our choices in what we focus on, direct which brain circuits fire. When we focus on thankfulness, we activate the brain’s “love” circuits, which send a calming signal to the brain’s alarm system (amygdala), thereby reducing inflammation in the body. Love is calming—it casts out fear—when we are thankful.

Conversely, when we focus on negative or stressful events, we activate the brain’s alarm system, which increases fear and sends a “fight or flight” signal to our bodies, raising blood pressure, increasing heart rate, activating the immune system, and increasing inflammatory factors. If this isn’t turned off, if we stay in a state of heightened fear, these elevated inflammatory factors impair signaling between neurons, leading to fatigue, malaise, concentration and motivation problems, and sleep disturbance. Additionally, these factors cause insulin resistance, which elevate cholesterol and increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and depression.

Yes, gratitude, being thankful, is healthy for our minds, bodies, and relationships—just as God designed. So…

Psalm 136 The Remedy

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love gives life forever.

2 Give thanks to the only true God.
His love gives life forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love gives life forever.

4 to him who alone built the universe from nothing;
His love gives life forever.

5 to him who alone had the wisdom to make the heavens;
His love gives life forever.

6 to him who brought forth land from the deep waters;
His love gives life forever.

7 to him who created the great lights —
His love gives life forever.

8 the sun to rule the day,
His love gives life forever.

9 the moon and stars to rule the night;
His love gives life forever…

23 to the One who remembered us when we were helpless
His love gives life forever.

24 and freed us from our enemies,
His love gives life forever.

25 who provides food for all living things.
His love gives life forever.

26 Give thanks to the Creator God of heaven.
His love gives life forever.

If you want an attitude of gratitude, rather than mere platitude, always remember the beatitude: Happy are those who give thanks to our God of love. So give Him thanks and then give thanks to the people in your life.


[1] Hill, P., et al., Examining the pathways between gratitude and self-rated physical health across adulthood, Personality and Individual Differences; Volume 54, Issue 1, January 2013, Pages 92-96

[2] Hoy, B., et al., Links Between Parents’ and Children’s Levels of Gratitude, Life Satisfaction, and Hope, Journal of Happiness Studies: August 2013, Volume 14, Issue 4, pp 1343–1361

[3] Cheng, S. et al., Improving mental health in health care practitioners: Randomized controlled trial of a gratitude intervention. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol 83(1), Feb 2015, 177-186

[4] O’Connell, B., et al., Mediating effects of loneliness on the gratitude-health link. Personality and Individual Differences; Volume 98, August 2016, Pages 179-183

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I was born [into the church], then I left it for many years. 10 years ago, I came back, but I could not take the hypocrisy and the lack of answers to the missing pieces. I struggled, but I did not abandon my commitment to know the truth. God is leading me to the simple understanding of his relevance and I am relearning what the church taught me as a youth… that he loves me, that he has led me to a knowledge of him such as I have never known. He is using Dr. Jennings to connect the dots that are now so apparent and hiding in plain sight!

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Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA

 

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I was so blessed by a friend who gave me your book, “The God Shaped Brain,” while I was sitting in church asking God to please help me learn more about Him and help me not to be so confused and scared. That was about 2 years ago. Your books have helped me to love God even more. I’m not confused or scared anymore! I have listened to all of your bible study classes and feel like I know the wonderful people that attend every week. Thank you for all that you’re doing in spreading the true message about God and His law of love. God bless you and your whole class.

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Testimony 27

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.

 

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