According to research, the average person produces about 70,000 thoughts per day. Because of the nature of our brains is automatically negative, 75% of our thoughts are negative, and 95% of them are repetitive (Burr, 2024). As we know, when the negative thoughts and feelings begin to take over, this produces feelings of depression. The bad news here is that we experience automatically negative thoughts daily. The good news is there is something we can do to combat that. Because most of our thoughts are repetitive, it only takes a few thought exercises per day to change our thinking. Because every thought precedes an action, these exercises that we can do to change our thoughts can also change our lives.
As a faith-based counselor, something that really fascinates me is when research in psychology confirms what the Bible has already taught. According to research, we know that:
a. gratitude can increase levels of wellbeing,
b. may lead to increased physical health, and
c. if cultivated into a habit, can have a snowball effect on someone’s life.
These practices were also commanded to us in the Bible long before any research on gratitude or positive psychology was ever produced.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for it is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Another translation of Philippians 4:8 says to dwell on these things. Just as it’s healthy to challenge ourselves to sit with negative feelings and confront the pain in our lives, we can also sit with good feelings, even during suffering like 1 Thessalonians says to “give thanks in all circumstances.”
Wherever you are at in your life, in a season of suffering or not, and wherever you are at in your faith journey I invite you to consider the research here and the words from the Bible.
What are a few things that you can be grateful for today? What can you thank God for? I encourage you to just try it and see how sitting with feelings of gratitude can begin to improve your life little by little.
Sarah Parker
LPC-Associate
Burr, S. (2024). 10 unforgettable statistics about human memory. Artifact.
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