#28 How Biblical Thankfulness Rewires Your Brain & Transforms Mental Health

Sunday LivestreamBecoming Whole

25 May

Written By Matt Edmundson

YouTube Video of the Church Service

Time Stamps

00:00:00 - Welcome and introduction to today's topic on thankfulness
00:02:04 - Talk begins: Biblical thankfulness vs. toxic positivity
00:07:05 - The science behind gratitude and its impact on neural pathways
00:14:00 - Can we really give thanks in all circumstances?
00:21:00 - Five practical disciplines for developing biblical gratitude
00:28:00 - Conversation Street: Thankfulness during good times vs. difficult seasons
00:49:00 - Final thoughts and challenge for the week

How Biblical Thankfulness Transforms Everything

The gratitude revolution is in full swing. Therapists prescribe gratitude journals, corporations run thankfulness campaigns, and self-help books champion positive thinking. The research is compelling – people who practice gratitude experience lower anxiety, improved sleep, stronger relationships, and better physical health.

But there's something distinctly different about biblical thankfulness, something more profound and transformative than the world's version.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica, he gave this instruction:

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Notice he says to give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances – an important distinction we'll explore.

Beyond Toxic Positivity

Matt began by distinguishing biblical gratitude from what psychologists now call "toxic positivity" – that shallow form of thankfulness focused primarily on material blessings and good circumstances.

We've all experienced it.

Someone shares a genuine struggle, only to be hit with responses like "well, at least you have a job" or "just be thankful you've got your health." These well-intentioned but dismissive comments minimise real pain rather than acknowledging it.

"Biblical gratitude is radically different," Matt explained. "It doesn't deny reality or pain. Instead, it acknowledges suffering whilst being thankful for God's presence and purpose."

The gospel enables us to give thanks in all circumstances because our gratitude isn't based on what we have or how we feel, but on a God who remains faithful regardless of our circumstances. It's based on His grace, not our performance, possessions, or even our feelings.

"When thankfulness flows from this foundation of our identity in God, of who God is, it can withstand even the harshest circumstances because it's not dependent on those circumstances changing. It's dependent on an unchanging God."

This is the heart of Psalm 107:1 – "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever." We're grateful because of the eternity and faithfulness of our God.

Your Brain on Gratitude

The science behind gratitude is fascinating. MRI scans show that gratitude activates parts of our brain associated with learning, decision-making, and higher cognitive functions.

Specifically, gratitude activates the brain's reward centre, releasing dopamine and serotonin – the neurotransmitters linked with pleasure and positive feelings. Over time, this fundamentally rewires our neural pathways, transforming how we experience life.

Paul's words in Philippians 4:6-7 perfectly align with these scientific discoveries:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

This isn't just a spiritual platitude – it's describing a neurological reality. Gratitude redirects neural activity from anxiety-producing thought patterns towards paths that produce peace.

"God designed your brain to thrive on gratitude," Matt pointed out. "He built thankfulness into the operating system of our mind. So when you follow His command to give thanks, you're not just being obedient, which is always a good thing, but you're aligning yourself with how you were designed to function."

Thankful in All Circumstances

But the real challenge comes when we face situations that seem impossible to be thankful in. How do we give thanks when standing before a God who can heal in an instant but hasn't done it yet?

The key is found in the story of Jesus healing ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19. All ten were miraculously healed, but only one returned to give thanks. To that one person, Jesus said, "Your faith has made you whole."

All were healed, but through thanksgiving, only one unlocked wholeness.

"Gratitude doesn't just improve our mood," Matt explained. "It completes your healing journey, addressing not just symptoms, but your whole being."

Paul wrote his instruction to give thanks in all circumstances while likely sitting in a prison cell, after being beaten and wrongfully imprisoned. He faced injustice that God could have stopped, but hadn't. From that place of suffering, he urged believers to be thankful.

"Biblical gratitude is not thanking God for suffering," Matt clarified. "It's thanking God in suffering. It's not saying 'thank you God for this cancer,' but rather 'even in this cancer, I thank you that you are still God, you are still good, and you are still with me.'"

Five Practical Disciplines for Biblical Gratitude

So, how do we cultivate this kind of biblical thankfulness? Matt offered five practical disciplines:

Say it – Make your first words after waking, thankful words to God, setting a tone that shapes your entire day.
Write it – Keep a gratitude journal, but connect what you're thankful for to God's character or promises, not just circumstances.
Pray it – Let thanksgiving dominate your prayer time, not just requests.
Think it – Intentionally set your mind on praiseworthy things (Philippians 4:8), counteracting the negativity that bombards us daily.
Spread it – Be a grateful person around others, especially acknowledging what you're thankful for in them.

"Biblical gratitude always brings us back to Jesus," Matt concluded. "It's not just counting our blessings, but reconnecting with the One who blesses us."

Conversation Street: When Is Thankfulness Easier?

During Conversation Street, Sharon posed an intriguing question: "Do you find it easier to be thankful during good times or during bad times?"

She referenced Deuteronomy 8:11-18, where God warns His people not to forget Him when their lives are comfortable and prosperous. Sometimes, when all is going well, we become complacent and forget to be thankful.

Dan observed that while it might be easier to think of things to be thankful for when life is good, our thanksgiving often remains surface-level, focused on stuff and circumstances. But when times are tough, we're forced to dig deeper, connecting with the unchanging character of God rather than shifting situations.

"When things are tough, you can't be shallow in your thankfulness," Matt agreed. "There's nothing for shallow thankfulness to lock onto. You have to dig deeper and look at something more foundational."

The team discussed how praise truly is the voice of faith – when faith rises within us, its language is praise. Not a forced, fake positivity, but a genuine expression of trust in God's unchanging character even in changing circumstances.

They also explored how thankfulness, like other spiritual disciplines, requires practice and perseverance. "It's that discipline of day in, day out, doing something when it's not natural and doesn't feel great," Matt explained.

We often expect God to simply "zap" us with spiritual maturity, yet in no other area of life do we expect instant expertise. Just as learning to play an instrument or getting physically fit requires consistent practice, developing a thankful heart demands daily discipline.

The Challenge

Matt offered a simple but powerful challenge as the evening wrapped up: be more grateful. Start thanking God in all the circumstances you face.

This isn't about denying reality or forcing a smile when you're hurting. It's about acknowledging the pain while simultaneously recognising the unchanging goodness of God.

As you move through your week, try incorporating the five practices Matt suggested – say it, write it, pray it, think it, and spread it. Notice how when you focus less on circumstances and more on God's character, thankfulness flows naturally even in difficult seasons.

Remember, biblical gratitude doesn't just transform your mental health – it transforms your relationship with God, bringing you back to the One who made you for a relationship with Himself.

Join us next Sunday as Mark Buchanan explores mental wellbeing and what it means to have "the mind of Christ" – continuing our journey toward becoming whole in every part of our being.

How Biblical Thankfulness Rewires Your Brain & Transforms Mental Health
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[00:00:00]
Welcome
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Dan Orange: Welcome to this week's live stream. Um, I'm Dan. I've been here quite a few times before, and I'm joined today by the lovely Sharon.
Sharon Edmundson: Hi, everybody. Good to be with you.
Dan Orange: How are you today?
Sharon Edmundson: Uh, yeah, I'm, I'm all right. Oh, you all right?
Dan Orange: Yeah, I am. Yeah. Glad. Does half term affect you like it affects us? It
Sharon Edmundson: does, yeah.
'cause I teach English to non-English speakers and for a women's charity and because they all have loads of kids, it means that we have half term off. 'cause either they wouldn't be able to come or we would be inundated. So yeah. Looking forward to half term,
Dan Orange: yes. So we have, I've got two kids, so they're off this week, which means nice break.
They just chill and play computer games. We've got tomorrow off. Um, so what have we got lined up today?
Sharon Edmundson: Yeah, we're continuing in our series on wholeness from a biblical point of view, and we've got Matt speaking to us today about thankfulness and gratitude. So yeah, be a [00:01:00] good one.
Dan Orange: Yeah, I'm looking forward to this.
Do you wanna say anything before we start, or should we,
Matt Edmundson: uh, we could say well done to Liverpool for winning. The, the celebrations have just been going on, so of course if you're a non Liverpool supporter, you're also welcome to Crowd Church as well. Uh, we just happen to be broadcasting from Liverpool and so it's all happening, isn't it?
It's all happening in the city at the moment, so, yes. Uh, which is great for the city, actually. Yeah. Uh, really, really great. So
Dan Orange: yeah, that's
Matt Edmundson: probably
Dan Orange: about it for me. Okey doke. Well. I think without further ado, let's pass over to Matt and hear this talk. And while Matt's talking, remember to just put your, um, questions and comments in the comments and then when we come back Conversation Street, we'll try to answer them.
Talk - How Biblical Thankfulness Rewires Your Brain & Transforms Mental Health
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Matt Edmundson: Well, yes, good evening. It's great to be with you. Like Dan said, my name is Matt. If you're new to Crowd Church, a very, very warm [00:02:00] welcome to you. Uh, we do church here from Liverpool, but we also stream online, uh, every Sunday evening. So it's great to be with you from this amazing city, uh, which I, I love.
I've been here 30 years. 33 years long old time, so it's great to be here. It's great to be with you now. We are, uh, as Dan said, talking about thankfulness tonight. So a few weeks ago, Sharon and I went to Glamp Fest, a sort of a festival up in North Yorkshire where we were glamping, uh, and having a big old time thanks to our friends, James and Sarah from Lonning.
They gave us a tent that had a log burner in it, a log burner, uh, which you can see on your screen. There's me and my slippers, uh, actually my Batman Crocs, uh, with my feet up. Beside the log burner. Uh, we, let me tell you, it took me a little while to get my head around having a log burner in my tent. Uh, it just felt wrong somehow.[00:03:00]
Um, but let me tell you, I was super grateful for it because even though it was hot in the day, it was cold at night. So that log burner, I was very thankful for. Now in the morning. Uh, when we were there, I took my bucket and I walked over to the site, tap, uh, where to get some water, basically. Uh, and there was a young lad there, he must have been, I guess around 10 years old.
He was filling his bottle, you know, with water. And, uh, he fin when he finished, he did something that I didn't quite expect him to do. He looked at me and he said, thank you for waiting. Now in England, we would say, what a polite young boy, you know, a sort of connection to our Victorian past where manners mattered.
But he didn't actually need to thank me. He was at the tap. He had a right to be there filling his water, but the fact that he did thank me spoke volumes now. [00:04:00] When someone simply says thank you to you, we feel good, don't we? We kind of feel, oh, you're very welcome. Uh, and there is a science and theology as to why that is.
So for context, uh, like Sharon said, we are in this series, uh, called Becoming Whole. I think we're on like. Episode, no service number 28 29, somewhere. We've done like quite a few so far. Uh, and today we're digging into this idea of biblical thankfulness and how that plays a really important part in our journey to get to the place when.
Going with our definition of wholeness when nothing is missing, nothing is broken. We are complete in every part through and through no part wanting or unsound, which is just a, is a beautiful place to be. Now it does seem like we are living through a bit of a gratitude revolution at the moment. Um.
Especially in mental health [00:05:00] circles, right? Therapists prescribe gratitude journals, corporations run thankfulness campaigns, self-help books, uh, champion the power of positive thinking. Uh, the research out there is, I. Compelling. Now studies show that people who practice gratitude experience lower anxiety scores and lower depression scores compared to those who don't.
We get better sleep, we have stronger relationships, and we even have improved physical health, which all sounds fantastic, right? So what does. The Bible say about it. Now, perhaps one of my favorite verses on the topic is where the Apostle Paul, who is one of the leading writers of the New Testament, uh, he writes to a church in Thessalonica and he tells him to do this.
He says, rejoice. Always pray without [00:06:00] ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. So this is incredible actually, when you think about it as here we see that the will of God for our lives is to give thanks. In all circumstances, right? In all circumstances, not for all circumstances.
There is a difference between those two things as we'll get into. So just how. Do we do that? How do we live this life according to the will of God where we are thankful in all circumstances? Well, we are gonna answer three questions tonight. Number one, how is biblical gratitude different? Number two, how does gratitude impact our mental health?
And number three, can we really give thanks in all circumstances? So there are three questions. So let's start with the first one. How is [00:07:00] biblical gratitude? I. Different. Now, I don't know if you have ever heard the phrase toxic positivity, right? Psychologists are using it a lot. Toxic positivity is sort of like a shallow form of thankfulness that focuses primarily on material blessings and good circumstances.
It's kind of, you know, the good vibes mentality that that kind of demands. We don't just be grateful, um, no, sorry. It's the good vibes mentality that does demand that we just be grateful, but it doesn't allow us to process. The sort of the genuine pain that can come along in life. And we've all experienced this in many ways.
So someone shares their struggle and immediately gets hit with, well, at least you have a job, right? Or, just be thankful you've got your health. These [00:08:00] responses aren't really that helpful. They're actually quite dismissive and it might not be. Others, it might actually be ourselves. We, it might be our own way of dealing with it because we feel like we should be more thankful.
So I might say to myself something like, well, I lost my job, but at least I still have my health, so I should be grateful. And whilst the intent might be good is classed as toxic because it tries to minimize or even belittle the real pain that we might feel. So biblical gratitude is radically different.
It doesn't deny reality, it doesn't deny pain. Instead, it acknowledges suffering whilst being thankful for God's presence and purpose, I. So I might say something, for example, like I lost my job and it hurts. But I'm thankful that God remains faithful, that his promises are still true and that he's even [00:09:00] working in this painful season.
I. So the gospel enables us to give thanks in all circumstances because our gratitude isn't based on what we have or how we feel, but it's based on a God who is incredible and what he has done for us through Christ. Biblical gratitude is based on his grace, not on our performance, not on our merit, not on our possessions.
And that. Well, that's deeply liberating, isn't it? Psalm uh, 1 0 7 verse one tells us to give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love and endures forever. And Psalm 100 tells us we can give thanks because his faithfulness continues through all generations. So we give thanks because of the goodness and love of God, and because God is faithful to [00:10:00] us, we are grateful because of the eternity of our God.
And that's something worth celebrating, even the midst of suffering and trials here on Earth. So when thankfulness flows from this foundation of our identity in God, of who God is, I think it can withstand even the harshest circumstances because, well, it's not dependent on those circumstances changing.
It's dependent on an unchanging God. So question number two, then what happens in our brains when we practice gratitude and how does this impact our mental health? And this is one of those questions which just fascinates me because you can, you can go down a rabbit hole. On this whole thing, uh, MRI scans, for example, they show that gratitude activates different parts of our brain from the, lemme get this right, the medial prefrontal cortex, which is the part of [00:11:00] our brain that is key for learning, key for decision making, and the dorsolateral pre.
Prefrontal cortex, not easy to say, uh, which is responsible for our higher cognitive functions. So gratitude activates these. They activate your brain's reward center release in dopamine and serotonin, which are the same neurotransmitters that are associated with pleasure and positive feelings. Gratitude then creates a fundamental rewiring.
Of our neural pathways, and they do that over time and it can transform how we experience the world, which is all fantastic. But gratitude can also counter specific mental health issues like. Anxiety. So the Bible puts it this way. The Apostle Paul said, do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving, uh, present your [00:12:00] request to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will God, your hearts and your mind.
Christ Jesus. Now we have used this verse many a time, uh, on crowd and we'll continue to use this verse. Many a time on crowd. It is a powerful verse, but Paul isn't just offering a sort of another spiritual platitude here. Um, he's prescribing in reality a neurological reality for us. Gratitude literally redirects neural activity from anxiety producing thought patterns towards paths that produce.
Piece. That's what the science tells us. There's a scientific experiment, which was conducted in 2023 that concluded that patients who underwent gratitude interventions, I have no idea what a gratitude intervention is, but it sounds good, doesn't it? Uh, but they went under underwent gratitude interventions, experience greater feelings of [00:13:00] gratitude, better mental health, and fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, which is.
Wonderful. The study found that participants experienced other benefits such as more positive mood and emotions, which correlate quite nicely with what Paul wrote a few thousand years ago. Doesn't it love it when science catches up with the Bible? Now, I. God designed your brain to thrive on gratitude that much.
We can see he built thankfulness, if you like, into the operating system of our mind. So when you follow his command to give thanks, you're not just being obedient, which is always a good thing, but you are aligning yourself with how you were designed to function. In other words, our mental health improves and it sets you on the pathway to wholeness, which is good 'cause it's what we're talking about because our mind is part of our soul, which is that [00:14:00] immaterial part of us.
And you know what? I'm extremely thankful for that. Yes I am. So can we really, truly give thanks in all circumstances? And the answer is simply yes, but it isn't easy. So as Christians, right, the more we understand the gospel and the grace of God, the more we realize. What we have and that we have so much, so much to be thankful for.
So ironically for Christians, it's when we stop looking at what we do or don't have and start looking at who God is, uh, and looking at that more, then we become more grateful. So we take our eyes off ourselves and we put our eyes on God. We grow in thankfulness. There's a really fascinating story in the Gospel of Luke, right?
If you're familiar with it, [00:15:00] it's the story of the 10 lepers. So basically what happens in this story, Jesus is traveling and comes across 10 men, all of whom have leprosy, right? And they're all outcasts in society, you didn't, you didn't hang around with people that had leprosy in the ancient near East. Um, they were outcasts and they, as Jesus is walking past, they shout and ask Jesus for mercy, who in turn tells them to go and show, show themselves.
To the priest. So why does he tell them to do that? Because a priest at the time was the only one who could, one, confirm that the less leprosy had gone, and two, that they could be reintegrated into community life. So if you are outcast, you would need the priest to tell you that you've been healed. To confirm that and confirm that you could reenter.
Community life. So these 10 guys turn around and off they [00:16:00] go. And the Bible tells us that it is as they go, as they went, they got healed. So I mean, imagine that, right? Imagine seeing and feeling that disease disappear. What it would've been like for them. It would've been incredible, right? All the pain, the broken skin instantly healed.
Um, so one of them in that moment turns around and returns to Jesus, shouting his gratitude, and the Bible tells us that he glorified God. He kneeled at Jesus' feet and was so grateful he couldn't thank Kim enough. He was looking at what God had done for him. You see, he was glorifying God and something quite fascinating then happens as a result of him doing that.
So all 10 lepers, right? I. All 10 lepers are supernaturally healed, but only one of them turns around and gives thanks. And so it is [00:17:00] to that one person and only to that one person that Jesus said your faith has made you whole. Whole, right? All of them were healed, but it was through Thanksgiving that the the one guy unlocked wholeness.
So gratitude doesn't just improve our mood, you know, which is always a beautiful thing. It completes your healing journey, addressing not just symptoms, but your whole being. Right? Gratitude then is the pathway to wholeness. I. Which, like I say, all sounds great, especially right when things are going well, like it was for that leper.
It maybe wasn't a surprise that he turned around to thank God because he'd just been supernaturally healed. I mean, it's easy to be grateful in that moment, right? So maybe. Maybe just, maybe a deeper question to ask here is [00:18:00] what would've happened had none of them got healed? Could that leper have still given thanks if it was, if he was to carry out, for example, this idea of giving thanks in all circumstances.
In other words, given thanks. Not just in the good circumstances like being supernaturally healed, but in all of them, like when you are still waiting for your miracle. So how do you give thanks when you are standing before a God who can heal your body in an instant, but for some reason hasn't done it yet?
There's an old saying that I love and praise is the voice of faith. We see this in Paul's life, right? The guy that was writing, uh, these letters to the churches, he wasn't writing these verses from Miami Beach. He wasn't at some kind of resort. Many scholars believe he wrote this [00:19:00] letter from a jail cell after being beaten and wrongfully imprisoned.
He faced injustice that, let's be frank, God could have stopped. And we know earlier on in the Bible, God gets another disciple, Peter out of prison. So Peter's in jail wrongly and God supernaturally gets him out. Yet Paul, while he's stuck in his cell getting beaten. So Paul knew what it meant to suffer to be locked in things that God could get him out of in the blink of an eye yet for some reason.
Hadn't, and it was in the midst of that, that Paul writes how it is God's will that we give thanks In all circumstances, Paul knew what it was to live this. You see, praise is the voice of faith. When faith rises in ins, its language is praise. It just is right. [00:20:00] And again, I wanna be super clear, right?
Biblical gratitude is not thanking God for suffering. It's thanking God in suffering. It's not saying, thank you, God for this cancer, but rather even in this cancer. I thank you that you are still God, you are still good and you are still with me. I might not understand it. I don't get it all, but I understand that, and we're not trying to thank God in a way to sort of try and manipulate him somehow.
Like, you know, if I come across as grateful, I will get him to do what I want. You know? Now humans may, uh, may not see through that sort of facade, but you know. Let's be real. I think God does, right? So we thank God because he is worthy of our thanks. He's worthy of our praise, and Christ has the right place in our hearts, right?
That is why [00:21:00] we can thank Him in all circumstances. So how do we do it? How do we develop this kind of biblical gratitude? Well, 'cause you know, it's a church talk. Let me give you five practical disciplines. The first one is simply say it. So after you wake up, right, make your first words, thankful. Words to God.
You use your language. Just thank you, God, for giving me another day. Thank you for making me your own. Thank you that whatever this day holds, I can rest secure in your gospel in the good news that you love me, right? I. And I think this simple practice sets a tone of gratitude that shapes literally your entire day.
And as we learned earlier with the science, it pr, it primes your brain's neural pathways towards Thanksgiving from the start of the day. So number one, [00:22:00] say it. Number two, write it now. Every morning I get up, I sit down at our kitchen table. I have a journal, and one of the things I do with my journal, um, is I love to write down three things that I'm grateful for at the start of the day.
I. It works really well for me. I appreciate journalism not for everybody, and if you've not done it, I would encourage you to try it, but do it in a way that connects what you are thankful for to God's character or promises I. So instead of saying something, I don't know, like I'm, I'm thankful for my job, which obviously is a good thing to be thankful for.
Connect it to God's character and promise. So something like, uh, I'm thankful God that you provide through my work, that my work is a gift from you, and that you are faithful in it. So why, why do we connect it to God's character? Well, if I just get up and thank God [00:23:00] for my job, what would happen if I lost my job?
See if all I am thankful for is stuff when the stuff goes well, you've got nothing to be thankful for anymore. But if you focus, like I say, on the unchanging God who is always with you, then I. Uh, you can thank him for his provision and you know that somehow in the middle of all of this, he's gonna figure it out and you are anchoring your faithfulness on something much bigger and much, much more secure.
Say it, write it. Number three, pray it. When you pray, the Bible tells you to bring your request to God. We read that earlier, right? That's a good thing to do. God, I need to talk to you about this. These are some of the things I need you to move in. These are some of the things, areas of my life I need you to act.
Um, we read, didn't we? That in every situation by prayer. And supplication or prayer and petition [00:24:00] with Thanksgiving. Present your request to God. And so it's not just about asking God for things, it's about thanking God as well. So I think most of your prayer time should actually be Thanksgiving. So number four, think it.
The Bible tells us that, uh, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. That's a powerful verse, isn't it? Fix your mind on these. We're gonna cover these, uh, in detail.
I have no doubt you're gonna talk about renewing your mind. Is this, is this your verse series for this? Uh, it might be, it might be okay. Uh, you don't develop a lifestyle of Thanksgiving by spending hours scrolling on social media or even watching traitors. As [00:25:00] good as it is, you must intentionally set aside time to fix and weigh your mind on praiseworthy things.
You don't become a grateful person watching the news or East or EastEnders. You just don't. What you put in really is what you get out. And like I say, this is what we're gonna touch on in a few weeks when we talk about renewing your mind. But it's really important what you think. What you put in is what you come out, right?
So think it, uh, what was it? Say it. Write it, pray it, think it. Number five, spread it. Now when you are around people. Let me encourage you. Be a grateful person. I think it's easy to be critical. I think it's easy to be negative. I think it's easy to focus on what's going wrong in life. Now, I'm not talking about toxic positivity, which we talked about at the start.
I'm not talking about denial. Um, but come in the opposite spirit. Tell people something you are thankful for, especially in them, [00:26:00] right? Say thank you a lot and really. Mean it and see what happens to them when you do be like the boy that I encountered at the tap whilst camping, be like the leper who came back to thank Jesus.
I. And that's the fascinating thing for me about the lepers. Nine of them just kept on walking. Only one of them was grateful. And what did the grateful one do? He simply returned to Jesus. And I think biblical gratitude always brings us back to Jesus. It's not just a case of counting our blessings, thanking God for the healing, but it's about reconnecting with the one.
Who blesses us, and I think this is the ultimate difference between what I would call secular gratitude and biblical gratitude. Biblical gratitude doesn't just improve our mental health, it restores our relationship with God, bringing us back to [00:27:00] the one who made us for a relationship with himself. So here's my challenge to you this week, because if you're a regular crowd, you will know I like my challenges.
Uh, just simply do this. Just be more grateful. Start thanking God in all the circumstances you face. Rejoice, always pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Conversation Street
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Dan Orange: Well, thanks for that, Matt. That was, that was great. You had to say thanks
Matt Edmundson: really, didn't you? Yeah. There's no other way to sort of, what do you do after you've done a talk on Thank you. You say thank you to the person. That's what you do.
Dan Orange: Yeah, that was. Brilliant. I, I liked especially the 10 lepers and I've always sort of read that and not really picked up [00:28:00] on the, the healing and the wholeness.
The difference that, that, that guy, that guy got, um. Sharon, is there anything you just jumped out at you you want to say?
Sharon Edmundson: Yeah, I really liked, um, what he was saying about that this is not the toxic positivity thing that I think in the Bible there's the space to be able to go, God, this is a really hard situation.
Yeah. And to cry out to God. From like, you know, really from the heart, um, um, like there's a whole book called Lamentations, which is, you know, about being able to lament in situations that are difficult. So I love that it's, it's not one, or like, it's not saying, oh, you've gotta pull that aside. It's like, you can do that, but you can also.
Then move towards the gratitude and thankfulness. Yeah, and I love that some of the Psalms have got both of those elements in. They've got someone crying out and going, God, help me. This is really hard. And then turning it all [00:29:00] around and like looking towards God and going, but God, I will praise you because of you.
And yeah, I just love that.
Dan Orange: I think, um, so last week we talked about anxiety and that there's the whole meditate on things, but meditate on the secular version is sort of meditate on nothing for you might mean nothing. And the secular version of thankfulness is just, can be this toxic thankfulness and we've got someone.
To be thankful for and in, you know, it's just, it's not an emptiness, it, it is actually a transformative thing. I really, really like that. Yeah,
Matt Edmundson: no, it is totally. I, I remember, oh, I don't even know, two, three years ago we did a talk on a crowd back in the early days on why. Positive thinking isn't really that positive.
I can't remember. It's something, the title was something like that. And we talked about this idea of positive thinking and about, um, the problems associated with positive thinking. And I think it's, um, it's the [00:30:00] same sort of problems that you get with self-help. It's kind of like it takes you so far, um, but it only takes you so far when things are going well or according to your.
Your ideas about how things should go right. So if I've gotta have a positive mental attitude, um, if I'm gonna do positive thinking, all of those sorts of things, I've got my life plan, I'm working my goals, I'm on my strategy. If life is going well, you're grateful. As soon as it takes a dark turn, well, you're not so grateful anymore.
Because, like you say, how do you, how do you be thankful in situations where things are bad? It's hard to do that without then denying. The pain of that situation. And this is where I think Christianity, um, like we talked about, has a real benefit in the sense of, I can look at that situation. Like you say, it's in the Psalms, this is rubbish.
What we're going through is not cool at all. But I can also look at the unchanging nature of [00:31:00] my God. And I can look at the faithfulness of God. I can look at the grace of God, I can look at the gospel of Christ. I can still look at all of those things and go, even if this. Doesn't change. All of this is still amazing and I can be thankful for that.
I think, sorry,
Sharon Edmundson: I was just gonna say, I think along side that I, I love the fact that a lot of these verses about thankfulness were written by people I. In tricky situations. Yeah. They weren't written from the nice spa and the resort, um, but in real situations where there's real pain, real trouble, real anxiety, um, but it's speaking into those situations.
I like that as well. Yeah.
Dan Orange: And you, I, I read a, I was trying to find out, I read a proverb this morning and it is basically, you can't, you can't lie to God, isn't it? Well, you can, but it's a waste of time because. 'cause he sees, he sees the truth. Um, there's no point saying we're thankful something for something and, and we are not.
[00:32:00] Um, it's that sort of the attitude of this situation. I could do without, but I'm thankful what he's done in me and um, and potentially what he can do through me in it.
Sharon Edmundson: I've got a slight curve ball question in that. Um, I was just wondering what, for you and. Anyone who's listening, um, do you actually find it easier to be thankful during good times or during bad times?
Uh, the reason I'm asking this is because there's a passage in Deuteronomy, uh, Deuteronomy eight verses 11 to 18, where God's talking to his people and saying, uh, paraphrased, basically, when you've got all that you want, when your your belly's full, you've got this fabulous life. Don't forget me. And, um.
Don't suddenly think that, you know, get proud and think, oh, it's all because of you, but. Talking about remembering God. Um, and I think just from the past, I remember some, [00:33:00] I think somebody must have said to me that actually they find it easier to be thankful when things are tricky because then it is a case of like, oh, hang on a minute.
I, I need God and I need to focus elsewhere. Whereas when things are going well, maybe sometimes we can just get a bit complacent, a bit comfortable, forget. So just throwing that question out there.
Dan Orange: Yeah, I think. I think that's probably the same for me. I think it's easy when things are going well, it's easier to bring them to mind and go, oh yeah, thanks for this.
But that's perhaps getting to gets a bit more into the stuff kind of thing. Thanks for this situation. Thanks for doing this, thanks for avoiding that. But when it's tough, then you've got to sort of dig a bit deeper and it's a bit more, it's powerful. It actually changes you better for the next time. Yeah,
Matt Edmundson: that's such a powerful point actually, when things are tough.
Sh you can't be shallow in your thankfulness because there's, there's, in your head, there's [00:34:00] nothing to, for the shallow thankfulness to lock onto. Right. So you're right. You have to dig deeper and you have to look at something more foundational. And that's where you can look at the gospel and you can go, right.
Well, there's, there's a, I mean, we can get, you know, stuck into that for a whole bunch of time. And so I do get it, I think, I think when things are going well. Hashtag blessed. Uh, and we feel like, you know, God's favor is with us and, and all that sort of good stuff. We are thankful in our heart. I, I tend to feel thankful in my heart, but it, like you say, it's, I think when things are going badly, there is a decision to thank God in spite of it all.
And that I think is more of a decision, it's more of a choice. It's more of a covenantal thing. Um. And so I, I get how that can be really powerful, which is where this whole idea of, um, praise being the voice of faith comes from, you know, you can't, um, I, I think it's hard to [00:35:00] have faith to believe in what God is doing and not be thankful for it, right?
So, um. What's in your heart comes outta your mouth that much. We do know about the, you know, that's one of the things the Bible tells us, you know, um, what's in there is gonna come out. And so if praise and Thanksgiving is inside you, if faith is inside you, then that thankfulness comes out. Um, I. You read in the Bible so much, uh, in the Bible of people who just moan a complaint, which is the opposite of Thanksgiving.
Um, and gratitude never goes well. Yeah. It's just he never goes well, and I think it's, it's part of our nature to do it.
Sharon Edmundson: You mean moaning never goes well,
Matt Edmundson: yeah. Moaning. I don't think, yeah, I think it feels good in the moment because it's just like, well, it's my right to moan. Yeah. Do you know what I mean?
It's my right to complain. I dunno if you've ever used that phrase. Um, but I think it's a really interesting idea. Idea that, you know, some people do feel like, um, they have a right to moan a complaint, but the reality of it is it [00:36:00] just God doesn't respond to that. Um, because why would you, you know, when I, when you, we've all got kids, right?
Especially you and me, I, I dunno if you knew, um, uh, but with the kids, it's like, if they just moaned all the time, not happy about that, do what I mean? That's just, it's not gonna go well at all for them. So, yeah, it's, it's one of those where I think building that faith, building that language, that foundation of faith, allowing praise to come out of your mouth, changes everything and unlock so many things.
Dan Orange: I think that as well, you mentioned that the last two points were to, um, to think it and to spread it. And I think if you are thinking those, if you're meditating. On those things, then it's easier to, to spread it as, as well, isn't it? Um, how, it's something I really struggle with is going into a situation where I know I'm gonna meet with people and I know [00:37:00] they will be wanting to complain.
They're want to, to, it's not their intention to bring it. The conversation that way, but I get there and my shoulders just drop. Yeah. And it's super hard to try. And you might bring a story in, oh, guess what happened this week? But it can then dive on again. Have you got any, any practical tips to, to to not just have this sort of, these little peaks, but actually just to, to bring that thankfulness perhaps into.
Yeah. Into that situation.
Matt Edmundson: Well actually s put here in the comments, um, gratitude thankfulness is something I struggle with. If thing A goes well or I have a prayer answered, but thing B goes badly or unanswered, um, prayer, I tend to focus more on the bad one. Okay. Right. And I think this is, this in many ways is a human trait.
Yeah. Right. It's, um, like. And again, going back to [00:38:00] our kids, you see the, the example with the kids, you can give them something, but if they feel like somebody got something more, well, they focus on on that rather than, and what's been given them. And I think for me, I genuinely think that spending five or 10 minutes a day at the start of your day thanking God.
I dunno if you can hear this ladies and gentlemen. There is a lot of rain there is coming down. I don't think there's a background noise that just started happening, but there is a lot of rain all of a sudden, which I think the ground will be very grateful for. Um, but I think I, I think gratitude is a deliberate practice.
Um, and I think if you rely on your feelings for gratitude, you will never get there. And so I think practically you have to create. A discipline of gratitude, right? Mm-hmm. You have to be, you have to make a decision that every day I'm gonna read my Bible, I'm [00:39:00] gonna pray, and I'm gonna be thankful. And I, I, I find it hard to be thankful when I'm driving.
Not gonna lie. Um, I think there are still situations where. It's maybe not gratitude that comes out of my mouth, um, but you know, God's, I'm a work in progress. Um, but there are, I am finding it as I, as I am deliberate in the morning with the gratitude. It, it causes something to happen later in the day, if that makes sense.
Yeah. And I think when you face things, when stuff's going on in the day, just to take a step back and go, I've, I have the ability to respond. In a different way to how I feel.
Dan Orange: Yeah. We've, we, we, through this whole series, it keeps going back to the, we have feelings. God made us with feelings, but those feelings don't always, um, can control us the wrong.
Way we, we have to [00:40:00] override the circumstances and how we're, how we're feeling and go, yeah, I'm feeling this, but what can I do about it? Sorry.
Sharon Edmundson: Yeah, I was just gonna say, we were talking about, um, creating habits where we're thankful. I dunno if any of you have watched the Chosen, um, if you haven't, um. Uh, watch it.
It's great. It's free to watch. I can't remember where is, there's an app, isn't there? It's on the web. Oh, it's on the web? Yeah. Um, so it's like an interpretation of the life of Jesus. Um, I love the way they've done it in terms of bringing out the joy and the fun of Jesus, which I don't think any other, uh, interpretations I've seen has done, but they have quite a lot of, uh.
They have like morning prayers that they all like, one of them will start saying it and everyone joins in and they have evening prayers. So there's a morning prayer, which I've written down from the chosen, and I quite like to use that. I'll read it for you. It says, I'm thankful before you living and enduring King for you've restored my soul within me.
Endless is your compassion. [00:41:00] Great Is your faithfulness. I thank you Adonai for the rest you've given me through the night and for the breath that renews my body and spirit. Um, yeah. And so I just quite like that as a way of starting the day as well as a recognizing that my life is from God and, and who he is to be thankful for him.
Dan Orange: Yeah, that's, I think there is a lot about, we've also talked about discipline, isn't there? There's a lot about starting your day, whether it's starting your day, reading the Bible, journaling, praying. If you start it with God, it's a lot easier to. Take him through the rest of the, the world rather than started it with the headline news or the whatever comes up first.
Yeah. It's funny
Matt Edmundson: with Christianity, isn't it? Because it's, I think it's the one thing in our lives where we just expect God to go. You know? Like just zappers, is he wy? Let's get but just, there you go. I'm gonna zap you with all the knowledge, [00:42:00] um, that you need to walk a Christ-centered life. Just there, there it is.
Have at it. And when it doesn't happen, we're like, God, what are you doing? But nowhere else in life do we think that we, there's just, there's nothing else we, we know that we, if we wanna learn to drive. Guess what, we don't start out as Lewis Hamilton, right? We just don't, if we wanna learn to play football, we don't start out as Pele showing my age.
If we wanna, you know, if we want to build a business, we don't start out as Richard Branson. We just, everything we know has a beginning. Playing the violin as a classic example, you wanna learn to play the violin. You're gonna sound really bad for like three years before it actually gets anywhere, and then it starts to pick up, right?
But the trouble is, it's that discipline of. Day in, day out, doing something when it's not natural and it doesn't feel great. Yeah. Right. So I don't, like most people go to the gym and quit. Why? Because it's not natural. It just isn't. Uh, and we don't like the feeling that we [00:43:00] get in the gym. We dunno what we're doing.
We feel self-conscious. We ache. It's that whole, we've gotta break through that. Right. And if that's true in every area of life. How much more true is it gonna be in some of the pursuits of these godly disciplines? Like being grateful? Yeah, it's, you're not gonna get zapped with, oh, I'm suddenly, God, I would love to feel more grateful.
Could you please help me become and make me more grateful? Well, to quote, um, who was it that played God in the Evan Almighty?
Dan Orange: Steve Carrell?
Matt Edmundson: No, no. Morgan Freeman. No. Morgan Freeman. Yeah. It's quite Morgan Freeman from that movie. If you ask God. To become a more grateful person. He doesn't zap you. He gives you more opportunities to be grateful.
Exactly right. And so I think. I, I'm just amazed sometimes how we, how we treat God and how we approach God. And I don't get me wrong, I do think there are times when God does zappers with [00:44:00] stuff. Yeah. Um, with blessings, with healings, with understanding, with insights, with revelations and all these kind of things.
But I think most of the time, day in, day out life is just about what you do consistently. Every single day when no one's watching.
Dan Orange: Well, Paul says, you know, he says, I know how to be, um, I'm paraphrasing happy when, when, when I'm down. I've had everything I've had. Um, I've had nothing. And he really had, you know, so he had been through shipwrecks and, and jails, but it had been through amazing things, like amazing heal healings and jail breaks and stuff, you know, so he had seen the instant, and sometimes I think that that's amazing that he'd seen that instant healing.
Sharon Edmundson: Yeah.
Dan Orange: And then still seeing times when it didn't happen, but still be, be thankful.
Sharon Edmundson: Yeah. It reminds me of that passage in Hebrews, which is talking about, uh, the people of faith. And you've got the, the nice list at the beginning where it's all the people who saw the miracles and everything. And then as it goes further down, it's like the people who had faith, [00:45:00] um, but were eaten by lions and all the rest of it.
And you're just like, oh, I wanna be in the first group. Um. But, um, yeah, I, yeah, I can't remember where I was going with that. It just reminded me, if you can get me back on track, please do. Well, I think
Matt Edmundson: ultimately. That whole passage in Hebrews 11 is about faith, right? And again, linking this back, faith, uh, praises a voice of faith.
That that's it. We can have praise, we can have faith, we can praise God, we can be thankful for God, even when circumstances are difficult and tricky. Um, we can still have that praise that. And it's not a false praise. It's not a. Toxic praise. It is a genuine, guttural rooted praise, which says, I thank you, God, that you are with me in all of this.
And it, it doesn't deny what we're facing. It's not even unbelief. It's not even because we're not thanking God for it. It's like I said, I don't thank God for the cancer. I don't thank God for the. The [00:46:00] going without. I don't thank God for the stress, but I know in that I can thank God. And you know what?
Some of the hardest experiences that I've gone through in my life, I can look back on them now these years later and go, God was with me. I learned a whole bunch of stuff and I'm where I am today because of God bringing me through those things. And I think sometimes we get so caught up in the here and now that if we could just take a step back and see the bigger picture.
Mm-hmm. Th and not just on my life, but all of history throughout all of eternity, you'd learn actually, God kind of knows what he's doing, and that I think is, is where praise can really shine.
Sharon Edmundson: I think it's about that depth of relationship as well, isn't it? Where we're talking about, I think Dan mentioned about when you're going through the tough times, you really have to.
Dig a lot deeper, but I think the whole praise thing, it's not just like this nice little technique or, [00:47:00] um, it is a discipline and that's right and true, but it's a discipline born out of relationship and just wanting to get to know God, know his character, know him, leading us, know him, guiding us. Um. Yeah.
And again, something I dislike
Dan Orange: and like, like Matt said, it is a, it's a learning thing and the more situations we're in, the more we can, I. I think God trusts us with more and we get to learn and, and know him more. I was talking to someone this morning, um, and in their job they got a great job and they have just, you know, had a salary.
Been very thankful for that salary, but they're moved up in the company and they're a partner now, so that's sort of changed that they're doing the same job, but now they have to look at how the money comes in. So. You know, a a, a job came along and they lost it and it's, it's sort of, [00:48:00] oh, that, you know, before, you know, last year didn't affect my salary.
Yeah. This year, oh, this is something that we, we need to go in. So he is in the, the same physical sort of situation, but he can, he was thankful for God then. And he can just have more of that experience really of, of thanking God, even though he knows a bit more of the, the detail. Yeah.
Matt Edmundson: That's so true and it's really good, isn't it?
I think the other thing to say on this, I, so we were watching the, sorry to talk football, but we were, we were watching the game at the house as me Will, who's gonna be on the live stream next week. Um, and now we are watching the game. And it's the final game of the season, right? Everyone at Anfield in the stadium is just like super happy because Liverpool have won the league, but Liverpool were playing badly, but everyone was like super happy.
You just wait. And I think toxic positivity in some respects can deny the pain and reality of our own lives. And it can be little things and [00:49:00] it can just almost make you feel ashamed. Um, but on the other side, I think there's a. This sort of false gratitude gratefulness for everything. You know, like, um, the, the sort of the, the role of gratitude and, for example, shaking, hashtag blessed, hashtag blessed.
But no, in terms of you now, teachers can't say anything. A slightly political statement. I appreciate this is not actually true, but you get the impression that teachers cannot say anything negative to children. Everything has to be framed in a positive way. Mm-hmm. Right? And I get that. And I understand the power of, you know, thankfulness and grateful.
I mean, we've talked about it for the last however long, but at the same time, that in itself is a denying of reality and circumstances. Do you see what I mean? Yeah. And yes, you can phrase things, uh, phrase things in a positive way, and I think that's important. But you can't deny the reality. And sometimes, [00:50:00] like what would've happened to Liverpool playing today?
Had the fans in the stadium going, you've won the league, but play the game, dude. Right. If the fans had got a little bit on their backs, would they have played a little bit better? Yeah. I don't know. Um, but I am, I am not for this gentle, um, everything's good, everything's positive. Kind of parenting. I think that's another form of Yeah.
Um. Uh, toxic positivity that's kind of infiltrated what we're doing. Bit of a bombshell. Not
Dan Orange: really got time to
Matt Edmundson: unpack
Dan Orange: it,
Matt Edmundson: but there you go
Dan Orange: again, in, in Proverbs, which should be going through. There's lots about, about discipline and being a, a wise person is someone that allows discipline in the life and allows to be disciplined.
Or just thinking about a runner. And it's great to say, you know, someone's training to do the a hundred meters or the hurdles, they, they every day, you know, they're doing all this training, they've got a trainer, and if you tells them positive things, that's brilliant. You know, you did really well there.
But if you kept hitting the hurdles, they said, oh, you did really well. [00:51:00] Perhaps next time you'll be better. It's not gonna get better. Is he? If he says, okay, we need to work on getting that. That knee raised up, that leg left up, lift, lifted up, then he can progress.
Matt Edmundson: Yeah, and I think actually discipline and that, let me put it this way, that confrontation, right, the ability to confront something that is not quite right, works really well in an environment that is typically quite positive.
Do you mean it's a thankful environment? So if my. Kids know, or if the, the, the guys at work and stuff stop picking on the kids, but let's pick on the guys at work, right? If I am constantly mean and belligerent in the workplace, then the, if I bring any form of criticism or confrontation, it's like, well, so what?
This is where you live, man. But if it's genuinely a positive and they know that I'm for them, then actually if I turn random and say, listen, dude, that was not cool because of X, Y, [00:52:00] and z. Yeah, let's, let's fix it. Let's get on with it. Well, people kind of go, oh, okay. But yeah, I'm with you still. Yeah. Do you see what I mean?
And I think environment matters, um, especially when it comes to confrontation and criticism, whatever that is. But I, I think it's important that we don't just replace all of that with. Yeah. Positivity. Yeah. Like giving every kid, like people of the weak stickers, what's that all about? But they weren't, they were a pain in the backside.
And you've given them a reward for doing it. But no, tell them, take 'em to the side and tell 'em you can't do that. You know? Feel
Sharon Edmundson: like you're going off on one now. Yeah. I'm gonna go off my
Dan Orange: soapbox now. Should we talk about. Everyone's a winner score. Well, that works without winning December. Everyone wins in the winner.
Let's, let's move to Sharon.
Sharon Edmundson: Have we finished?
Dan Orange: Yeah,
Matt Edmundson: probably because we are just gonna get on our side bus. Yeah. I think this, this might be a good place to, everyone's not a winner. Let just [00:53:00] point that out.
Sharon Edmundson: Yeah. Should we talk about next week and stuff? Yeah. Okay. So next week we've got our lovely friend Mark Buchanan, coming and speaking about.
Well, he won't be here personally. Will he recorded pre-record?
Dan Orange: Yeah. Yeah.
Sharon Edmundson: Yep. Yeah, it'd be pre-recorded, but he's gonna be talking about when mental wellbeing, um, continuing in this series and we've got a lovely Dan and will host him.
Matt Edmundson: Yeah. So it's gonna be great. And Mark's a legend, isn't he? I mean, he's a, he's a really great guy with incredible stories, so you're definitely not gonna wanna miss him talking.
I think he's talking, like you say about mental health, having the mind of Christ. What does that mean? Uh, when the Bible tells us that we have the mind of Christ. That's a really intriguing statement. So he's gonna dig into that. At least I hope he is. If he's, if he's going off the notes, he's gonna help us understand that.
Yes. If he's doing his own thing, who knows. Yeah.
Dan Orange: Still be good. Still be good. We might have to do another talk afterwards. Yeah. Um, so we're gonna finish up here on the live stream, but we will be on the Google [00:54:00] meet and Zoe's just pop that on the bottom of the screen. So if you want to, in the comments actually Oh, in the, on the comments.
Yeah. So if you want to, uh, meet us afterwards, then. Please do so, is there anything anyone wants to say before we finish?
Matt Edmundson: I, uh, I think final comment, is this the same as the challenge? Try being more grateful and start your day being grateful. At the end of the day, just think through your day and go, how grateful was I in all of those circumstances?
How could I have been more grateful? How could I have. Um, experience this sort of biblical gratitude more in those circumstances. Because unless we review ourselves, if we, unless we think about our lives, there's no real change. We go, that's a really great talk. And I say, it's great. We do it once, then we forget about it.
But I think biblical thankfulness has to become so much of who we are and our character. But it's, like I say, it's not just gonna. We're not gonna get zapped with it. This is like, we have got to, we have got to chase this. [00:55:00] Um, and I would encourage you to make this part of your daily routine if it isn't already.
So, yes,
Dan Orange: that's pretty, Matt. Thank you. Is that the answer you're looking for? That was the answer. Yeah. So we'll see you all hopefully next week.