How Gratitude for the Little Things Changes Your Brain
Yes, I’m writing to you about the power of gratitude, again. Today, I’m sharing a few resources that have edified me. I hope they edify you, too. Gratitude is easy to practice when everything is sunshine and butterflies. But when the storms of life come, that’s when being thankful feels unimaginable. However, experts tell us that practicing gratitude for the little things changes your brain.
Science Confirms what God’s Word says about being thankful:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV).
To be clear, we’re not thanking God for everything; we are thanking God in the midst of everything. Easier said than done. I know.
But I’m here to tell you IT IS possible to cultivate a heart of gratitude even during the toughest seasons of life. This I know for sure because I’ve had to practice it while walking through the most turbulent storms.
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV).
We are only human, and it’s natural to be overcome with stress, worry, and fear when the vicissitudes of life hit. But for those of us who follow Jesus, we have a better option.
God says He will keep in perfect peace those whose mind is stayed on Him. (See Isaiah 26:3). In the 1828 dictionary, peace is defined as “the happiness of heaven.”
In Hebrew, peace is “shalom.” The “perfect peace” described in Isaiah 26:3 is translated “shalom shalom.”
Shalom shalom is:
-Completeness
-Wholeness
-Contentment
-Welfare
-Health
-Prosperity
-Harmony
-Fulfillment
“Perfect peace is God’s gift, but our minds stayed on Him is our responsibility. Always have within you the knowledge that you are acting on the Word of God. You cannot depend on feelings, or on what you see, or on anything else. Have no confidence in anything which is on a natural plane.”
—Smith Wigglesworth
Gratitude isn’t just a nice idea. Recently, I got an email from Curt Thompson, MD, author of Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships. (affiliate link)
He’s a Christian psychiatrist who has done extensive work in trauma healing. I’ve been following him for a couple of years and have had the pleasure of attending two of his trauma healing workshops.
Here’s What Dr. Thompson Says About the Power of Gratitude to Change Your Brain:
“Gratitude often feels like a natural theme this time of year, but neuroscience and spiritual formation both remind us that gratitude is far more than a seasonal sentiment. It is a practice that literally reshapes our brains and our relationships.
Gratitude doesn’t arise effortlessly. It’s cultivated through repetition and intention. Each time we name something good, we direct our attention away from fear and scarcity and toward connection and hope. Over time, these repeated acts strengthen neural pathways that support emotional regulation, resilience, and openness to relationship. In this way, gratitude becomes both a spiritual and neurobiological training regimen.
Scripture has long understood this. For God’s people, thanksgiving was never transactional, it was relational. Gratitude emerged as a response to a God who draws near, who knows and loves His people. When we give thanks, we participate in that same movement. Every, “thank you” becomes a small turning:
-toward God
-toward others
-and toward a deeper awareness that we live in a story held together by grace.”
So powerful, right?
Another resource I found inspiring is a video from my dear friend Beth Jones:
Give Thanks to God Intentionally Every Day and Night
In Beth’s words:
“We can give thanks to God IN all circumstances. He is good. If you are walking with God through a dark valley right now, God will see you THROUGH it. You won’t stay STUCK there, and you’re not alone. Jesus the Shepherd is right there with you. I encourage you to intentionally give thanks to God each day for His blessings, big and small.”
Learn more about Beth:
Beth M. Jones, International Speaker, Author, & Coach
Visit her business online bookstore HERE.
If you’re looking for a unique gift idea, visit Beth’s new Christian Gift shop on Etsy, where she sells candles, journals, ornaments, coffee mugs – everything is so cute! Visit: Shine Your Light in Dark on Etsy HERE
Beth also mentioned that she uses two of my Gratitude Journals:
So Very Blessed: Christian Gratitude Journal
Cozy Gratitude: A Hygge Self-Care Journal
Two Free Gratitude PDF Resources to Download
To help you put the healing power of gratitude to work in your life, I’m providing a couple of resources to help you “cultivate through repetition and intention” a healing, brain-reshaping gratitude practice during this season of joy and thankfulness.
Free Gratitude PDF: The 30-Day Gratitude Challenge
Free Gratitude Journal PDF
CONCLUSION
I pray this blog article blessed you. And may the two free gratitude PDFs be a blessing as you set the intention to use them daily, even if it’s just for five minutes.
As Dr. Curt Thompson says, it’s the repetition that reshapes the brain and regulates our nervous systems.
If you ever find yourself in fight or flight mode or ruminating on a problem (both of these are trauma patterns), then you’ll benefit from creating a daily gratitude practice.
Cultivate a Daily Gratitude Practice
Do it now. Print out the gratitude journal and the 30-Day Gratitude challenge. Decide on a time of day when you’ll set aside 5 to 10 minutes to use them. Then watch how your mood begins to shift, and a calm, regulated nervous system becomes your new normal.
More Inspirational Gratitude Articles:
63 Inspiring Motivational Quotes About Gratitude
The Power of Gratitude Journaling
55 Fall Quotes and Autumn Inspirational Words to Soothe Your Soul
Happy World Gratitude Day with 19 Gratitude Quotes
Hello, I’m Patti! I’m a Christian Life & Money Coach, Ramsey Solutions Master Financial Coach, Health Coach, writer, and former retirement planner. I’m also an award-winning co-author of She Writes for Him: Stories of Resilient Faith (Redemption Press), and prayer warrior, serving on the prayer team at my local church.
My mission is to provide inspiration, coaching, tools, and resources to help you claim all the goodness and abundance God has for you.
So interesting about gratitude changing the brain, Patti! Thanks for the shout out. In all circumstances, we need to practice gratitude even when we don’t feel like it, because God will somehow work it out for our good and His glory. I am walking that out right now in my life!
God truly did create us to be wonderfully made! Loved your video about gratitude. Great message, Beth!