By Shenalyn Page
“Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Have you ever wondered what the Bible means when it says to rejoice always and give thanks in every circumstance?
Does it really mean you’re supposed to be thankful when your favorite pet dies?
How can you be grateful when your parents are getting divorced? Or your “best friend” posts an embarrassing picture of you online?
Does God honestly expect you to rejoice when you flunk your geometry test?
Yes! God really does invite us to be grateful in every situation, even the ones that seem the most impossible to us. We might not be thankful for what happened, but we can still have an attitude of gratitude.
A Sure Path to Happiness
It’s easy to get depressed or anxious when bad things happen in our lives. We tend to zoom in on the problem until we can’t see anything else. But God doesn’t want problems to rule our lives. He has something far better in mind.
That’s why He invites us to choose an attitude of gratitude. He knows—because He wired your brain—that gratitude is one of the surest paths to happiness that we can travel.
Did you know that gratitude actually changes your brain? Scientific studies have shown that “gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”
One study divided 300 college students who were receiving therapy for depression or anxiety into three groups. One group was asked to write letters of gratitude to people thanking them for how they had blessed their lives. Another group wrote about their deepest feelings about negative experiences. The final group did only counseling.
The results were amazing. The group that practiced gratitude writing reported significantly better mental health four weeks and twelve weeks after writing the letters. Even if they never sent the letters, the practice of writing out their gratefulness changed their mental health for the better.
According to the Bible, praying with thankfulness is the key to experiencing God’s peace. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6, 7).
"Nothing tends more to promote health of body and of soul than does a spirit of gratitude and praise.” Ministry of Healing, p. 251.
What to Be Thankful For
Sometimes it can feel almost impossible to be thankful. But the worst times are exactly when choosing gratitude makes the biggest difference. Here’s why: Choosing to be thankful moves our focus outside of ourselves and our problems. Gratitude helps us appreciate what we have rather than focusing on what we don’t.
Be thankful that you have two eyes to see the beauty of a sunset, two legs to walk across the room, and two ears to hear the birds sing in the morning. Have you eaten today? That’s a reason to give thanks. Your heart is beating; your lungs are breathing. You’re alive!
If you’re a Christian, then you have even more reasons to be thankful every day. You know that you are not the result of random chance. You were created in the likeness of the God of the universe (Genesis 1:27). He loves you and promises to be with you through every problem (Isaiah 43:1–4). Jesus took your sins upon Himself and died for them so that you can live with Him for eternity (2 Corinthians 5:21). He promises to guide you in every situation in life (Proverbs 3:5, 6).
You are forgiven and loved! That’s something to rejoice about!
How to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude
If you’re not used to being thankful, then choosing gratitude might make you feel like a fake, as if you’re wearing a happy mask when inside you’re sobbing. But the reality is that when you choose to be thankful, the happy mask seeps inside and changes you from the inside out. “Fake it till you make it” actually works with gratitude. Thankfulness can become your new way of being.
Here are some practical ways to cultivate gratefulness every day:
• Begin each day with a prayer of thankfulness: The best way to cultivate an attitude of gratitude is to spend time every morning thanking God for His blessings. Think of the little things you have to be thankful for and focus on those if you can’t see any bigger blessings right now. Simply tell God thank you for every good gift in your life (James 1:17). It will bring Him joy and put a smile on your face. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:4, 5).
• Thank God for the hard times: This doesn’t feel easy, but doing it can change your perspective fast. How can you thank God for the bad things? Because He can—and will—bring good out of every situation if you invite Him into the mess. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
• Keep a gratitude journal: It doesn’t have to be fancy, but keeping a written record of the blessings in your life can be life-changing. Try to write down at least three things you are thankful for at the end of every day. Then, when life gets tough, you can go back and review how God has worked in your life. It’s encouraging! “I will remember the works of the LORD; surely I will remember Your wonders of old” (Psalm 77:11).
• Say thank you: When was the last time you told someone in your life how thankful you are for them? Have you thanked your parents for their care and support? What about thanking your teachers for what they have taught you? Have you thanked your friends for their friendship? Make a habit of writing thank-you notes to the people in your life. It will make their day!
What are you thankful for today? Tell us about it in the comments below. We’d love to hear your thoughts!