The power of gratitude

Rosario Picardo June 1, 2024

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Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods.

His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords:

His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1-3

When we are feeling down and out, it is amazing how our focus can change when we show gratitude to God and count our blessings. We personally know friends who keep an ongoing gratitude list to start and end their days. It is a discipline that they have started to combat loneliness, depression, or wishing for a change in their personal situation, and it works!

Research continues to prove that individuals who regularly express gratitude have improved mental well-being, have less stress, better sleep, and a boost in overall mental and physical health. Gratitude is not just good for the soul, but it does the body good.

When it is hard to find our own words of thanksgiving, the Bible is a great place to turn. The amazing thing about Scripture is that it is filled with many passages in both the Old and New Testament that we can read and even pray to express gratitude when we can't find the right words to express our feelings.

Gratitude is simply saying "thank you" to God. We can show our gratitude by speaking it, through worship and prayer, and giving back our time, talents, and treasure. When we are consumed with gratitude, we quickly forget about those things we think are lacking. We stop comparing ourselves to others. We see our life for what it truly is—filled with blessings from God. Our gratitude toward God is thanking God for providing even for today, even in the mundane.

We love the various renditions of the Doxology, both the traditional song and contemporary version. First written by the Anglican Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711), it is still sung in thousands of churches, denominations, and languages every single week:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heav'nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

This song is often sung in worship as the financial offering is presented to God and carried to the altar. We give from a posture of gratitude, knowing everything we have comes from God. Gratitude helps us be more generous, saves us money by cultivating contentment, and it's good for our health. One more thing to be grateful for!

Adapted from "Healthy Money: A 30-Day Journey Toward Spiritual, Emotional, and Financial Freedom" by Callie and Rosario Picardo.

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Rev. Dr. Rosario “Roz" Picardo, MBA, grew up in western New York as a first-generation Sicilian-American. In 2003, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Houghton College and in 2007 a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. He graduated with a Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary in 2014 and an MBA in 2021 from Dakota Wesleyan University. He is one of the founding pastors at Mosaic, a multicultural church in Dayton, Ohio.  Learn More »

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