“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8 (NASB)
God is the source of all truth found in both faith and reason. Science and scripture prove that we have the capacity to change our mood and experience peace and contentment, by how we think.
We all want the state of mind that the heroes in scripture had. We want to sleep peacefully during the storm, to calmly pray in the lions den, and to sing praises in the fiery furnaces of adversity. Science and scripture, each confirm that an attitude of gratitude can rewire our brain, and replace our melancholy with a sense of lasting peace and joy.
God created all human bodies with
chemical messengers to regulate their nervous system. Science refers to them as neurotransmitters, and one is called “Serotonin”, also known as the “happy hormone”, because it influences the part of our brain that brings us feelings of well-being.
Researchers found that when we reflect on, and intentionally think about good times, good people, and the blessings we are fortunate to have in our current lives, it increases the production of serotonin in our brain, which has a significant impact on our overall mental health.
In other words, keeping a mental list of things we are thankful for, can stimulate the headquarters of happiness within our brains. Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is our strength.” Our sense of peace, joy and well being, gives us strength, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It’s how God made us and scripture has always supported what science has learned.
It’s challenging at times to dwell in an attitude of gratitude. It always starts out good, but negativity creeps in, until we need to police our thoughts, and bring ourselves back to a disposition of gratitude. We get dragged down by disappointments or things that offended us during the day. There are also friends and loved ones who we care about, and when they are suffering, we do as well.
Some days are harder than others, but thinking of something to be grateful for, is the advice given in today’s scripture verses. The apostle Paul wrote persistently, eight times in a row, that we are to make an effort to have an attitude of gratitude. He repeats the word “whatever”, saying, whatever is true, right, honorable, excellent, pure, commendable, lovely, or if there is anything worthy of praise, we must persist in thinking of those things.
Gratitude doesn’t flow out of perfect happiness, or having perfect health, families or financial security. Gratitude flows from trust in a perfect God who is with us through our insecurity, health challenges, family problems and sorrows. He is the unshakable anchor in a shaky, unstable world. Whatever seems impossible, we remind ourselves that with God, nothing is impossible. He came through for us before, and we will trust Him to do it again.
Paul tells us that we belong to a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and that kingdom dwells within each one of us, giving us the power to do all things through Christ, in His strength. We are unshakable, because an unshakable kingdom is within us. The revelation of these truths, leads us to worship with gratitude, reverence and awe. (Hebrews 12:28)
As we fill our thoughts with whatever is praiseworthy, like His extravagant mercy, and unlimited love for us, we anchor our hope in Jesus, and our brain’s chemistry begins to change. Knowing the truth of God’s word restores our thinking, and helps us to dwell in an attitude of gratitude, which keeps the Serotonin flowing.
Not only does God create our body and brain with all the necessary chemicals, He gives us the ability to stimulate their production, and to rewire our brains, by choosing to think thoughts of gratitude and praise. As we cast all our cares and worries upon Him, He gives us a peace that surpasses all human understanding, and continues to guard our heart and “mind” in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)
Gratitude changes everything.
Lord, thank you for the remarkable way that you have made us, and that science has verified what your word declared, centuries ago. We praise you and ask that we may live in an attitude of gratitude and grant us your perfect peace today and always. Amen
