I learnt quite a number of years back during a counselling seminar about the power of gratitude, especially thankfulness to the creator. It applies to everyone whether those in the faith and those yet in the faith. Gratefulness releases a combination of dopamine, oxytocins and endorphins in the brain that is similar to a runner’s high. Thus biologically it is proven that gratefulness actually makes people happy and have peace. Something inbuilt and internal.
I however take the view that as believers, gratefulness and thankfulness are even more potent, more powerful, particularly, if we are grateful and thankful to our Father in heaven. If we are thankful for what we have despite what we are going through, if we rejoice in God although we are down and struggling – God sees and emphasises with us. Perhaps He may alleviate our situation or make our problems go away. Or perhaps He does not. But whatever is the outcome, His promise is that He will be with us throughout it all. We may feel we are all alone but He is there with us.
Thankfulness and gratefulness take a deeper meaning as believers because our Heavenly Father is a person like you and I. He created us in His image. He has feelings too. He gets angry and is compassionate as seen in the Old Testament of ancient Israel. When He was personified by Christ on earth, we could see that Jesus is also an emotional being like you and I. He cried when He saw Lazarus dead and his sisters and family in so much grief.
So I’m saying that the same way that we are happy when others express their gratitude and thankfulness, what do you think our Heavenly Father will feel if we do so ourselves to Him? Will He not be happy with us? He will know that we notice and acknowldege His work in our lives. He doesn’t need our recognition as He is God and yet if we give Him due recognition and honour, I’m sure He will be pleased. We always sing we give all honour, all glory and that all power belongs to Him – mean it by recognising and acknowledging His grace and mercy and compassionate work in our lives. It is the Holy Spirit who has shaped our hearts all these years to know God. It is Jesus Christ who died for our sins and liberated us from the clutches and destiny of sin amd condemnation. Thus as believers, thankfulness and gratefulness will not only have internal effects in terms of endorphins but also an external effect as we have an ongoing daily relationship with our God. It will sure be well for our relationship with God if we are thankful.and grateful to Him for all that He has and will do in our lives. Therefore in all things, give thanks and by prayer ahd supplication, present our requests to Him (Philippians 4:6) and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus!
Ronnie's Thoughts 