Episode Summary:

As the holidays approach and we’re inundated with messages about thankfulness, you may wonder: does gratitude actually change anything? Is there science behind the old advice to “count your blessings”? In this episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, I’m diving into the connection between Gratitude and Neuroscience, showing how adopting a heart of gratitude impacts not just our spiritual lives but also our mental and physical health. Scripture reminds us that what God commands aligns beautifully with how He created us. I’ll share 25+ unique things to be grateful for and why cultivating thankfulness, even during tough times, is so important. Together, we’ll look at how gratitude helps us see hidden blessings and keeps our focus on God’s faithfulness.

Quotables from the episode:

• God never wastes our pain; even in difficulty, we can find reasons to be grateful.
• When we will be continually in a prayerful posture, God will open our eyes, our minds, and our hearts to recognize and then be willing to thank him for all those things that we had previously dismissed or not considered.
• I want to have a constantly grateful heart. So I'm consistently challenging myself to notice little or unusual things in life, those things that maybe I sometimes take for granted, and offer up thanks for them. 
• When God tells us to be thankful in all situations, He means it, but I believe that as we pray without ceasing, like that verse in First Thessalonians said, that God is the one who creates a thankful heart in us.
• Start with the small things. Start with the unusual things. And I'm firmly convinced that the more we cultivate an attitude of gratitude, the more we realize we really do have to be blessed and thank God for.
• Gratitude shifts our perspective, revealing God’s hidden blessings in our everyday lives.

Scripture References:

• 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 “Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
• Proverbs 17:22 “A merry heart does good like medicine.”
• Psalm 139:16 “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
• Romans 12:18 “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Recommended Resources: 

• Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson 
• The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms  
• Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals
• YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day
• YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day
• Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
• Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide
• Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip
• Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award
• Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award
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