I heard a speaker on one of my favorite podcasts talk about gratitude. She said she learned recently that when a person "sits" in that place of gratitude, his brain chemistry actually changes. This change requires more than just a passing thought, but dwelling on those grateful thoughts for an extended time. Not just once a year while gathered around the table with family. Not just as you write the obligatory thank you notes. But instead intentionally recalling all the things that generate gratitude.
Whenever I got to feeling down as a teenager about how things weren't going my way, my Dad used to say, "Count your blessings." Sometimes it would say it in an exasperated voice, because teenage girls caught up in drama can be exasperating, and I know for a fact I was no exception. But other times it would be a more gentle reminder, and it brought to mind his granddad's table prayer, which we recited in part at our table growing up -- "Give us thankful hearts, Our Father, for all these many blessings..." it began. Gratitude was something he was taught, and he passed it down to me, as we hope to pass it on to our children.
That same speaker pointed out that in Old Testament times, the children of Israel were taught through the marking of seasons and festivals to recall all that the Lord had done for them. Psalm 103 is just one of the many scriptural examples of how David encouraged others to "count their blessings," to intentionally turn their thoughts to all the good things the Lord has done - here it is from the New International Version -
Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22 Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, my soul.
There are so many blessings to ponder in those 22 verses I cannot even begin to comment...but back to that speaker on the podcast -- just think what would happen if we read that psalm and "parked our minds" there for moments everyday? Would our brain chemistry actually change? Would we be less stressed, less likely to snap at people, more likely to smile?
And of course this is the most important question on my mind at my age,
Would my smile lines deepen and become more pronounced than my frown lines?
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