The spiritual and Physical Power Behind Thankfulness in Life

Thanksgiving is a such a wonderful time of year. It starts the full ramp up for Christmas the end of December and it is a time of getting together as a family and, hopefully, talking about how you have been grateful for the past year. 

I used to hear the statement about gratefulness and think it was such a nice religious thing to do because Jesus is in your heart and we should be always looking for ways to stay positive and grateful in everything we do throughout the year. This past year has been a lot for some families from sickness to losing loved ones to life transitions that can derail your life in so many ways. But is there something physiological about living a thankful life? It looks like science says so. 

These were five points that had to do with the physical changes and benefits in our bodies from living a grateful/thankful life. 

1. Lessens the power of toxic emotions. Gratitude emphasizes the good in our lives and shifts our focus away from negative emotions such as resentment or envy, putting them on the back burner of our minds. 


2. Reduces physical pain. While it’s true that gratitude releases dopamine, our body’s natural pain reliever, it also fills us with more energy, making pain less potent.


3. Improves sleep. Gratitude stimulates the hypothalamus in the brain, which is responsible for the production of oxytocin. Oxytocin is thought to counteract the effects of stress and produce better sleep. 


4. Regulates stress. A 2004 study showed that participants who demonstrated more gratitude and appreciation had lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. They were also more resilient when facing emotional setbacks.

5. Improves anxiety & depression: Because gratitude lowers stress hormones and helps balance the nervous system, it reduces depression and anxiety. It also strengthens the part of the brain that regulates negative emotions like guilt and shame. 

When I read this non-spiritual rundown of what gratefulness does physiologically in our bodies it is just a GREATER testimony about verses that God gives us in the bible like these beauties;

1 Peter 5:7 

Cast all your cares on the Lord for He cares for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Hebrews 13:15
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Now when we read those verses, it is not just that we put our trust in Christ but that he KNOWS what will happen in our physical bodies when we trust him and stay thankful! 

This can be a tough time for some people because of the level of disfunction in families today. But true thankfulness is not dependent on the circumstances around but from the peace that Christ gives within. In fact, the harder things seem around us, the greater the opportunity to find things to be thankful for each day and especially in this thanksgiving season. 

So when you eat that big thanksgiving turkey meal this week think about the power of thankfulness not just in the Spiritual realm but also in your physical body when you learn to let go and Let GOD and be thankful in all circumstances. 

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time of year. It kicks off the full run-up to Christmas at the end of December. It’s a time to get together with family and, hopefully, share what you’re grateful for over the past year.

I used to think about gratitude as just a nice religious thing to do, because Jesus is in your heart. We should always be looking for ways to stay positive and grateful in everything we do, all year round. This past year has been a lot for many families—things like sickness, losing loved ones, and life changes that can throw your life off track in many ways making it hard to be thankful. But is there something about living a thankful life that can help us mentally AND physically? It seems like there is.

Here are five points I found from a medical website about how being grateful can actually change our bodies physically, and the benefits that come with it:

1. Lessens the power of toxic emotions. Gratitude shifts our focus to the good in our lives, which helps push negative feelings like resentment or envy to the side.

2. Reduces physical pain. When we’re grateful, our body releases dopamine, which acts as a natural pain reliever. It also gives us more energy, making pain feel less intense.

3. Improves sleep. Being grateful activates a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which produces oxytocin. Oxytocin helps reduce stress and leads to better sleep.

4. Regulates stress. A study from 2004 found that people who showed more gratitude had lower levels of cortisol—the stress hormone—and were more resilient when dealing with emotional setbacks.

5. Improves anxiety and depression. Because gratitude lowers stress hormones and helps balance the nervous system, it can lessen feelings of depression and anxiety. It also strengthens the part of the brain that deals with negative emotions like guilt and shame. 

When I read these non-spiritual points about the effectiveness of thankfulness in our physical bodies, it just confirms what God’s Word already tells us! 

Verses like:

1 Peter 5:7  

Cast all your cares on the Lord, because He cares for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18  

Give thanks in all circumstances; this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 13:15 

Through Him, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God—by speaking thanks to His name.

When we see those verses, it’s not just about trusting Christ. It’s also that God knows what happens in our bodies when we trust Him and stay thankful.

As I mentioned, this can be a tough time for some people, especially because of all the dysfunction happening in families today. But true thankfulness isn’t based on trying to counteract the circumstances around us. It’s rooted in the peace Christ gives us inside. In fact, the harder life gets around us, the more opportunity we have to find things to be thankful for each day—especially during this season of Thanksgiving.

So, when you sit down to enjoy that big Thanksgiving turkey later this week, think about the power of thankfulness—not only spiritually but physically, too. When we “let go and let GOD” by choosing to be thankful in all situations, it can truly make a difference in our relationship with Jesus and how we feel in our physical bodies.