A Christian, at least one who practices their religion, will be a hard working, thoughtful and kind individual, one who has a happy countenance because they know that the lives they lead are pleasing to the Lord. Gratitude is a primary characteristic of being a Christian. The main part of a Christian’s prayer is gratitude. It doesn’t take a scientific study for a person to know and see the happiness that is reflected in the faces of true Christians, those who express their gratitude to Heavenly Father on a daily basis. Gratitude does not even have to be expressed outwardly. It can be an inward feeling that a person has about their life, their family and the necessities of life that sustains them on a daily basis. “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” (Epictetus)
Gratitude is the expression of wonderment when they gaze at the sky, the mountains, the beauty of the sunset and the look of love in their eyes as they look into the faces of their spouse and children. In their frequent moments of contemplation, gratitude (happiness) is expressed by the tear that rolls out of the corner of their eye. Henry Van Dyke said: “Happiness is inward and not outward; and so it does not depend on what we have, but on what we are.”
A Christian, regardless of their current circumstance, will always have faith that God will provide for them. Then they will work as if their success was totally dependent on themselves to make it happen. They believe in miracles and the providence of God. As Heavenly Father’s offspring, they know that He loves them, and if they demonstrate their love for Him, as well, by their being faithful and obedient, then He will not let them down.
Recently Scientists have determined that becoming more grateful could make each of us 25% happier, and that being happy is the key to a longer, more successful life. Robert A. Emmons, PhD, University of California, Davis found that: “Our lives do not just seem better when we are happy—they actually become better, according to a 2005 analysis of hundreds of psychological studies. Happy people tend to have longer, more loving marriages… are healthier…live an average of seven to nine years longer than chronically unhappy people…and have more successful careers. So how is it that one can become happy? To that question, Dr. Emmons found that psychological studies generally have failed to confirm that proposed happiness strategies (workshops, etc.) actually work. With one notable exception: Research conducted in the past decade appears to indicate that we can become happier by feeling more gratitude.”
What does “gratitude” mean to a psychologist? “In simple terms, gratitude is our affirmation of a benefit that we have received and our recognition that this benefit has come to us from outside of ourselves.” It might be a little harder to find motivation to express gratitude if we were not sure who or what to be grateful to. That is where Christians are ahead of the pack; they know who to be grateful to and how to express that gratitude.
Many people feel that whatever they are able to accumulate in this life is based on their own educational achievements and personal hard work. They may give some credit to a teacher, a parent or a personal or family benefactor, but to express gratitude, generally (to God), is a foreign concept.
Why does feeling gratitude make us happier? Primarily, Dr Emmons believes that, “It is because gratitude increases our sense of connection to other people. Having strong relationships is the single best predictor of happiness, and our relationships become stronger when we acknowledge the support we receive from those around us. Acknowledging that support provides us with confirmation that we have value in other people’s eyes. Gratitude also buffers us from envy, resentment and regret, emotions that inhibit happiness.” Scientists, of course cannot mention God, because they may be criticized by many of their peers who may have atheistic views.
Christians who attend church and have support and fellowship of other Christians will invariably be enhanced by their fellow Christian’s knowledge and testimony of God and His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, Jesus Christ. It provides an opportunity to serve others which is a direct demonstration of the gratitude we feel and a way to ‘pay back’ for the blessings we have received.
“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” (W. T. Purkiser)
Strong family ties and relationships should be the primary support system in a Christian home, without which individual family members may lose much of their sense of value. Parents should do their best to pull into their family circle as many of their family members as they can, regardless of how distant away. Gratitude should be taught in family gatherings, as family prayers should reflect gratitude as its primary purpose. Apparently, happiness doesn’t lead to an increase in gratitude, but increases in gratitude do, in fact, increase happiness. This should be a very significant knowledge base for everyone, and may God bless everyone to come to this realization!