Today, I going to reveal some things about the power of gratitude to deeply change you that you probably don’t know. Toward the end of the video I will share a powerful activation about how to grow a Grateful heart.
A study of 5,000 Christians, revealed the difference between those who were consistently more like Christ and average Christians. What caused the greatest difference?
Prayer? No.
Bible reading? No.
Fasting? No.
Praise and Worship? No.
Some other spiritual discipline? No.
Prolific Christian author, Professor Michael Zigarelli, who conducted the study, was surprised by the discovery, “Of all the possible explanations for why some Christians look more like Jesus than others, one explanation–one characteristic–clearly stood out above the rest: gratitude.”
Back to the study of 5,000 Christians. Professor Zigarelli concluded that the influence of gratitude was much greater than any of the spiritual disciplines to explain why some Christians are more like Jesus (consistently displaying the “fruit of the Spirit” virtues (Galatians 5:22-23) than others.
Let me clarify, it’s not that prayer, reading the Bible, praise and worship, and the other disciplines didn’t have an impact. Of course, they did. But Professor Zigarelli was surprised to find that gratitude had a much greater impact.
Why?
~ Cicero, the Roman philosopher, said:
“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”
Cicero stumbled on a Biblical truth. There’s a reason the Bible says to “give thanks” 62 times.
Gratitude reframes our entire outlook on life. It “reframes” the way we see things. God’s many commands and encouragement to “give thanks” are an onramp to renewing our mind, leading us into a process where, as Romans 12:2 in the NLT says, we “Let God transform us into a new person by changing the way we think.” Romans 12:2
Modern Psychology Studies confirm the benefits of growing a grateful heart:
Studies show Gratitute is positively related to: a long list of physical and phychological benefits. They’re listed on the video.
Activation
Psalm 9:1 NIV
I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Activation: Give thanks for “all God’s wonderful deeds”.
Step 1. Who do you feel more comfortable talking to: Father God or Jesus?
Thank the one you choose.
• Begin: Father, thank You for…. or Jesus, with all my heart, I thank You for …
Step 2. You get the idea. Make it personal to God or Jesus. Talk to Jesus/God out loud. And tell Jesus/God what’s on your heart.
• What are you grateful for?
• Why is that important to you?
• How does that make you feel?
Example:
Jesus, with all my heart, I thank you for giving me joy and peace this morning.
I was very tired this morning after a rough night. I was in pain and struggling to get started this morning. I had no peace and I was grumpy. I opened my Bible to where I left off yesterday and read Proverbs 8:32:
“So listen, my sons and daughters, to everything I tell you, for nothing will bring you more joy than following my ways.”
You did it again! You gave me a verse that changed everything. I read “joy” and that’s what I needed. And joy came. Peace followed.
That made me feel so loved. Your love isn’t just something I read about in the Bible. I felt Your love for me today as You helped me renew my mind. It’s going to be a great day. Thank You, Jesus!! I love You!!
Step 3. In your journal or in a notetaking app write the story of what God did, why that was important to you, and how that made you feel.
Do this 1st thing every day.
Throughout the day, if you find yourself grumbling, or upset, any negative thought/emotion, remember what you wrote down – what, why important to you, and how you felt. Relive the feeling. Let gratitude reframe your thinking lift you above the discouragements and difficulties of life.
Finally, if it’s not too personal, please share your gratitude experiences in the comments of each day’s video.
****Please Join the 10 Day Thanksgiving Countdown to Grow a Grateful Heart, subscribe and click on the bell to receive notifications of each day’s videos. Every day there will be a 4-6 minute video.
Watch the video. Do the activation. Then apply your morning gratitude experience throughout the day as needed. And Grow a Grateful heart.
I read articles about research that showed doing this for even a few days can change you. And the impact can be deep and long lasting.
If you simply can’t think of anything you are grateful for, I have have posted list of prompts that will help you remember what you have to be grateful for on my website. (create card: https://www.10minutetransformation.com/p/i-am-grateful-for/