As we start a new year together, we are reminded of the goodness of God and so grateful to the Lord for His grace extended toward us on a daily basis. Mark Gerson writes in his book “The Telling” that Professor Robert Emmons of the University of California had his subjects spend nine weeks expressing what each one was grateful for. The result was a 25% increase in happiness. A wide range study by Professor Emmons of people ages eight to eighty determined that those who practiced gratitude exercise more, sleep better, have lower blood pressure, have stronger immune systems, have kidneys that are better able to filter waste, are more alive and awake, experience more joy and pleasure, and are more forgiving, helpful, generous, and compassionate.
Wow! Sounds to me like gratefulness carries a lot more benefits than most of us would give credit to. At the beginning of a new year, people often fast to hear from the Lord more clearly for what He has for them for the coming year. Why not purpose in your heat to practice being grateful for 21 days! It is a healthy thing to do, in more ways than one.
D.O.V.E.