A
Thankful Heart is a Happy Heart
By Brita Crouse
“Since
everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive
it gladly, with thankful hearts.”
1 Timothy 4:4 (NLT)
When I was in college, I had a
psychology professor who started out each week by asking us what we were
thankful for from the previous seven days. His reasoning for this weekly ritual
was both scientific and spiritual. Every Monday, he would remind us what
studies have proven: the positive impact that talking about what you are
thankful for has on overall life satisfaction and happiness. The more you talk
about your blessings, the happier you will be with your life. Also, talking
about your blessings will make you more aware of the ways God is working in
your life.
Being the curious college student
that I was, I decided to put his theory to the test in a practical way. It was
my junior year, infamously the most difficult one. My roommate and I were
struggling to stay positive. We both had leadership roles within our dorm,
which weighed heavily on us, as well as rigorous academic schedules. Things
were rough and our tendency was to complain. A lot. But, putting theory into
practice, we decided to make a list of things we were thankful for, hopeful
that our attitudes would change.
God works in amazing ways, let me
tell you. He changed our pessimistic, cynical attitudes right around when we
made that list. Some of the things we put on the list were silly, like the
Packers or frozen yogurt. Some of the things were more serious, like each other
and our church. But, each item on the list was important to us, and God had
somehow used every item to bring us closer to each other and to Him. I would
say my professor’s theory was pretty accurate!
It can be so easy to complain about
our circumstances. But wishing we were someone else, living somewhere else or
doing something else does not change anything. God desires to bless us, but we
sure ought to acknowledge those blessings. Sometimes I need to remind myself
that I am a religiously free, college-educated, working, independent woman just
to give myself some perspective and a change of attitude.
If each of us took more time to
think and talk about how blessed we are, I’m sure there would be a lot less
complaining and a lot more praising. Even more…we can easily turn our weary,
hardened hearts to happy, thankful ones, just by counting our blessings!
GOING DEEPER:
1.
What are ways you can be actively and daily counting your blessings?
2.
Make a list of what you are thankful for this week. Share that list with
someone close to you.
FURTHER READING:
Brita is
currently working toward her Master’s in Counseling at the University of
Minnesota-Twin Cities. She has called Oakwood her home church for the past
seventeen years.
