Growing Gratitude with Highpoint Chaplains

During the month of May we emphasized the importance of mental health. Highpoint’s Chaplains talked to our employees about growing gratitude. Thank you to Lynn and Larry for an inspiring conversation and recognizing things that make for good mental health.

Here are some highlights and nuggets that stood out:

I want to share for a few minutes about the relationship between mental health and gratitude and there is a powerful relationship between the two.

As I researched this I discovered that even taking the spiritual aspect of gratitude out of the equation, there are benefits to having a heart of gratitude as it relates to our mental health.

Maybe first we should define gratitude. Someone has suggested that gratitude is the feeling of being thankful and appreciative for the things we have in our lives – both big and small.

There have been studies done by those in the mental health field and here are some of their findings:

1. Growing gratitude increases our positive emotions. When we focus on the things for which we are grateful, we tend to feel more emotions such as happiness, joy and contentment.  Gratitude has a marked effect on things such as anxiety and depression.
2. Growing gratitude enhances relationships. It can improve our relationships with others.  When we express gratitude to others, it strengthens our feelings of oneness and connection.
3. Growing gratitude improves sleep. When we take a few moments before we go to sleep to think of even one or two things for which we are grateful, it helps us to feel more relaxed and peaceful, which leads to better quality sleep.
4. Growing gratitude has been shown to reduce stress levels. Studies have indicated that a single act of thoughtful gratitude produces an immediate 10% increase in happiness, and a 35% reduction in depressive symptoms. When we express gratitude and receive the same, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, the two crucial neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions, and they make us feel “good”. 
5. Growing gratitude is related to 23% lower levels of cortisol – the hormone that creates stress in the body. Studies have shown gratitude to help lower blood pressure.
6. Practicing gratitude reinforces an individual’s willpower to resist excessive eating.

I could go on with a number of other scientific studies that show the physical and mental benefits of gratitude. That’s is all well and good and would be evidence enough to commit ourselves to an attitude of gratitude.

There is also biblical evidence for the strong relationship between gratitude and good mental health.  In Colossians 3:15-17 we read:

“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.  Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives.  Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.  And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

Another translation reads, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts”.  So there’s a connection between gratitude and having a peaceful heart.  I don’t know about you, but when I have an ungrateful heart, I don’t feel peace.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful, grateful heart is like good medicine.”  It helps you to feel better.

Probably the strongest argument for having a grateful heart comes out of Philippians 4 where the Apostle Paul says, “Always be full of joy in the Lord.  I say it again – rejoice!”  Now, what makes this so powerful is to remember where Paul is when he writes these words.  He is in prison – chained to a wall.  No freedom.  It’s cold and dark.  

And yet he writes, “Always be full of joy in the Lord”.  How in the world did Paul make it through that difficult time in his life?  How did he keep his sanity?  He learned to cultivate a grateful heart.

Then he goes on to say, “Don’t worry about anything.  Instead pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything you can understand.”

Now, want you to know that I do not stand here as the perfect example of someone who always has a heart of gratitude.  I can easily forget God’s blessings in my life when I begin to think that life is all about me.  Selfishness is a great enemy of gratitude.  Selfishness is thinking that everything always has to go my way with no difficulties.

Here’s the bottom line – an attitude of gratitude isn’t something that comes naturally to most people.  It takes discipline. The Bible says that there are times when we need to take our thoughts into captivity when they are going in a negative direction.

I want you to know that I am not saying to just ignore the difficult things that happen to us.  That is life.  That’s when we take the situation to the Lord and ask for His help and His grace.

Here’s a couple of practical things for you to consider:

1. Do any of you journal?  Think about keeping a gratitude journal.  Take a minute or two each day to write down three things you are grateful for.  
2. Express gratitude to others  You’ll do a great job of that here at Highpoint each month when you recognize the contributions of others to the work you do.  Maybe set a goal of expressing appreciation to at least one person each day.
3. Practice mindfulness.  Take a few moments during the day to focus on something you are grateful for right now.  Studies have shown that reduces stress in our lives.

I encourage you to find some way each day to focus on the things for which you are grateful and you will reap the benefits for your own mental health.

Want to know more about Marketplace Chaplains? Visit their website here.