14. The Blessings of Thankfulness
Earlier in this book we saw that giving praise to God in our prayers is something that is primarily for our good rather than something God needs. We will see in this chapter that something similar can be said of giving thanks in our prayers!
We tend to think of gratitude as something we owe God – something we think he wants in the same way we might feel disappointed if we give something to someone and they do not acknowledge the gift. But if we look at this subject closely, we see that it is far more likely that God wants us to be thankful for our sake, not his.
There are physical, mental and spiritual benefits of thankfulness that show us a great deal about why the Bible puts so much stress on this aspect of prayer.
Physical Blessings While we would hopefully never give thanks just to get the benefits associated with thankful behavior, it is clear that being thankful is itself a blessing. Medical studies have found that people who are grateful often experience fewer aches and pains – or notice them less – and not only feel healthier, but also actually live longer than people who do not self-report as being thankful. Perhaps because thankful people appreciate what they do have, these studies have also found that they are more likely to take care of their own health – they exercise more frequently and are more likely to seek regular medical check-ups, further contributing to their health and longevity.
There are other physical benefits of people who are thankful and who express their thanks. According to a study published in 2011 in the journal Applied Psychology, people who spent a few minutes writing down things for which they were grateful before they went to bed experienced measurably better sleep. Once again, these benefits tie into longevity, as people who sleep better have increased life expectancy.
Mental Blessings While it is often difficult to separate mental and emotional issues from physical ones, it is clear that thankfulness also leads to a wide range of benefits in our mental and emotional well-being. A great many studies have been done to demonstrate this link, and we can only mention a few here.
Research has clearly shown that thankfulness actively reduces stress and also appears to aid people in overcoming trauma. For example, one psychological study published in Behavior Research and Therapy showed that veterans of the Vietnam War with high levels of gratitude had low rates of post-traumatic stress disorder. A similar study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found thankfulness to be associated with increased resilience among those traumatized by the September 11 terror attacks in the United States.
Thankfulness has also been shown to increase empathy and reduce feelings of aggression. Not surprisingly, therefore, people who are grateful have less depression and are less likely to seek revenge or to become violent.
Gratitude has even been shown to improve self-esteem, as well as athletic, business, and social success. In all these ways, and others, thankfulness – especially thankfulness that is expressed – directly contributes to our overall happiness and mental well-being.
Spiritual Blessings But there are also spiritual benefits that come from gratefulness expressed in prayers of thanks. The more we come to appreciate all that God gives us and give thanks for those things, the closer we move toward God and the more we experience a deeper and more meaningful relationship with him.
One such spiritual blessing that comes from thankfulness is that of increased trust in God. We grow in trust by focusing on what God has done in our lives and the lives of others and all that he is now continuing to do. We do that most effectively by simply giving thanks. But that's not something we naturally do consistently. The Bible gives the interesting example of Hezekiah – one of ancient Judah's few righteous kings – who despite his right behavior and relationship with God neglected to give thanks for a healing he received (2 Chronicles 32:24-25). It's a human failing – we can't forget a problem when we suffer from it, but we don't always remember the help we receive when the problem is gone. It's as though nothing disappears faster from our minds than problems that are resolved!
That's why the apostle Paul admonishes us to give thanks "in all things" (Ephesians 5:20); and it is by consistently doing so that we learn to focus properly and to see the help we are already receiving. You can start to do this in any area of life, from the most basic things on up. The old saying "Sometimes the only blessings you need count are your heartbeats" is not a bad place to start. Giving thanks for each day of life and building on that, we begin to see more and more what we are given and how we are helped – and trust grows naturally out of that ongoing thanksgiving (Psalm 4:5).
In fact, when we learn to give thanks regularly for all the help we have been given, the question becomes not "What shall I give thanks for?" but "Where shall I start and where shall I stop in giving thanks?" It is as we recognize help in every aspect of our lives that we give thanks for more and more; and the more we give thanks, the more we learn to trust.
The apostle Paul learned this lesson that giving thanks leads to trust and peace of mind, and he confirms that for us:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7, emphasis added). How easy it is to read over these verses and to see only that we should pray about situations rather than be anxious about them; but Paul stresses giving thanks just as much as he stresses making petitions for help. Paul knew, and wanted his readers to know, it is to the degree that we are aware of what God has done in our lives that we will be confident regarding what he will do in the future. Ongoing Blessings When we look at all these areas in which giving thanks is beneficial to those who do so, it gives new depth of meaning to the words of the psalm:
It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night (Psalm 92:1-2 ESV). The word for "good" used in this psalm means not just "righteous" or morally "good," but also "beneficial." Like many other aspects of prayer, giving thanks is just as much a gift to us as something we give to God. When we understand that, we realize that God's commands to give thanks to him in prayer are no different from all his commands – they are ultimately for our good, our growth and our happiness. In fact, the opportunity to give thanks is something for which we should all give thanks!