Thanksgiving is a time to remember to be grateful. Take a look at the chart below and note the power of appreciation. Your heart rhythm becomes like smooth ocean waves. How much healing do you suppose that brings to your spirit, soul and body? Diagram from "Institute of HeartMath"
The Bible Commands an Attitude of Thankfulness
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (Col. 3:15-17 NASB).
"Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;" (Eph. 5:20 NASB). "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thess. 5:18 NASB)
Not only does thankfulness bring health to your heart, it also releases the provision of God into your life. When Paul and Silas were in a tight spot (i.e. had been thrown in prison - Acts 16:23), their response was that at midnight they were "praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." Wow! Thankfulness in the midst of unjust treatment. Look what this provided: release, freedom, supernatural intervention, and salvation of the heathen (Acts 16:24f)!
So thankfulness not only heals your heart, it also warms God's heart as He sees that we love and trust Him and call upon Him in faith and belief when the forces of evil appear stacked against us. This brings Him to our side to minister supernatural grace to us.
A Wound in Our Souls Is Healed When Thankfulness Flows…
People ask, “How can I know for sure that I have forgiven them (or God or myself) from my heart?”
A hurt is healed when I can see the gifts God has produced in my life through the experience.
Since God causes all things to work out for good (Rom. 8:28), I ask God to show me all the good things He has brought forth through this experience, and I journal out His response to me. I then post this list at eye level, so every day I can say, “God, I thank you for these wonderful gifts you have produced as a result of walking with me through this experience.”
This thankfulness in my heart and soul releases me to receive God’s healing power in my life and opens the path for restoration. Now healing power can flow unhindered into my life and being. Now I can experience healing in my spirit, soul and body. Now my blockages of anger, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness and judgment have been removed through a heart of thankfulness, because NOW I am LOOKING ONLY at the gifts God has produced in my life through the experience.
Here is God’s warning from Scripture concerning neglecting joy and gladness and the ways it cuts one off from the flow of God’s grace:
"Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you. (Deut. 28:47-48)
So every morning and evening we thank and praise the LORD (1Chron. 23:30; 16:4; Ps. 28:7; 54:6-7; 86:12,13; 145:10; Matt. 15:36; Lk. 17:15-19; 2 Cor. 2:14; Heb. 13:15; Rev. 4:9; 11:17)!
Prayer: Lord, may I never grumble or live discouraged, but may I strengthen myself in Your Spirit, always giving thanks in and for all things so that I might glorify You, and Your power, provision and healing might be released in my life.
Daily Exercises in Thankfulness
- Thank God for the wonderful day.
- Thank and appreciate those around you.
- Thank God for His blessings in your life.
At the end of the day, ask yourself, "How do I feel?"
Additional Resources
A Greateful Heart is a Healing Heart - blog exploring heart coherence in more depth
Counseled By God is a training package which will restore faith, hope and love to your heart and soul so that you can live in a positive mentality, and with thankfulness in your heart to the Lord.
Counseled By God can also be taken as a CLU college course which ensures that you fully internalize the truths and are transformed by them.
Go Deeper - Get Healthy!
Check out this entire blog series on Vibrant Health! - Miracles PLUS Gifts of Healings. Working through this series on health is ideal for both individuals and groups. The more we take responsibility for ourselves - spirit, soul and body - the healthier we become! Won't you join me in living to at least 100 in vibrant health?
Related Blogs:
Healing Emotional Dis-ease
Comments
Thank you for sharing this Mark
by Anonymous
I've experienced quite a bit of trauma in the past 15 years.
This past year I've been going to school online for some extra career training, and the experience has been disheartening in the lack of help available from the instructors. I've watched this up and down emotional ride in myself regarding to negative responses when asking for help, and then being made to feel like I'm burdening someone, asking too much of their time, in seeking help from a person who's being paid to help me.
It's been debilitating some days to where I cannot focus on/do school work, etc...and had me at a place of readiness to go seek medication from a doctor in order to be able to handle what life was throwing at me. The diagram/chart helped me see what my heart has been feeling.
I have a strong faith, but have felt unable to rise above at times, and have never experienced this before in my Christian walk. Before heading to the doctors, I'm going to focus more on being thankful, and see how I start to feel.
Thank you for sharing, I was blessed and needed this word from the Lord.
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