Gratitude Things I can thank the Lord for

In the OT, gratitude to God was the only condition in which life could be enjoyed.

Gratitude is a part of the Will of God. We learned this last week.

Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the Departments of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine. His research laboratory, the Huberman Lab, has made significant contributions to our understanding of brain development, the neuroscience of visual perception and repair from blinding diseases such as glaucoma, the neural mechanisms of stress and resilience and neural plasticity—the nervous system’s ability to change and learn in response to experience.

Gratitude practices have been shown to affect:

Self-reported well-being and mood. 

Physiological markers: reduced inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6, TNF-α), reduced amygdala activation (fear circuits). 

Social behavior: shifting from defensive/responding to conflict toward prosocial engagement and receiving. 

The brain toggles between two broad states: “defensive/threat” vs “prosocial/open.” Gratitude helps shift toward the latter. 

Wednesday Amy and I took Alexis and JoHana to the papusaria in Branson to thank them for helping with our kids while we were out of town.

We had a good time and of course Alexis and JoHana started talking with the staff there and asking them where they were from. Two of them were from El Salvador.

One of the ladies Alexis was asking her about the cheese in the papusas. She started to tell her story. She continued to say Gracias Adios. Thank the Lord.

Over and over she continued to repeat this statement.

Gracias Adios

Gracias Adios

Gracias Adios

Dios Te Bendiga

As we were leaving, Alexis and JoHana told Amy and I why they say this so much in El Salvador and I have asked them to share that with you all as we talk about gratitude…

(Video)

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Thanksgiving

THANKSGIVING 1. Gratitude directed towards God, generally in response to God’s concrete acts in history. Thanksgiving was central to OT worship. Sacrifice and offerings were to be made not grudgingly but with thanksgiving (

Psalm 103:1 HCSB

1 My soul, praise Yahweh, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.

A couple things to note as we get in to this Psalm.

The Temple has not been built.

Solomon who is David’s son is given the charge to build the temple. So where does this praise and thanksgiving take place?

Outside the temple place or everywhere. I like this point because just like the lady at the papusaria our praise and thanksgiving extends way beyond the 4 walls of this church. Sunday is not the only day that we return thanks to the Lord.

We want to return thanks everyday for all things.

He says “My Soul” then instructs his soul

It’s almost as if he is saying to his soul to wake up. Rise up. wake up soul. Come on Soul get with the program. Get up and praise Yahweh. From the depths of my being Soul wake up and praise the Lord. He is motivating himself to shake off apathy or gloom. He is using his mind and his memory to get his emotions motivated to thank the Lord.

Psalm 103:2 HCSB

2 My soul, praise the Lord, and do not forget all His benefits.

Benefits: He has dealt abundantly with me. He has blessed me.

This echos

Deuteronomy 8:12–14 HCSB

12 When you eat and are full, and build beautiful houses to live in, 13 and your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold multiply, and everything else you have increases, 14 be careful that your heart doesn’t become proud and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.

Forgiveness of Sins

Psalm 103:3 HCSB

3 He forgives all your sin; He heals all your diseases.

He Forgives ALL your sin

Sit in this for just a moment. Scripture says he forgives ALL you sin. Not most of your sin or some of your sin but it says He forgives all your sin.

I was reflecting on the moment I came to salvation and that first taste of salvation when ALL my sin was forgiven. I remember the feeling of a massive weight being lifted off my shoulder. I remember the sense of freedom and being set free from my sin.

Since my day of salvation has God stopped forgiving my sin?

NO

Awake my soul, come on soul, WAKE UP!, He Forgives All your sin even today.

Forgiveness of sin means you don’t get the punishment for Sin that we deserve. Forgiveness of sin also means receiving what we don’t deserve.

Psalm 103:12 HCSB

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

The Psalmist in Psalm 32 does an excellent job of sharing the feelings of freedom from sin and the joy of forgiveness

Psalm 32:1–5 HCSB

1 How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How joyful is the man the Lord does not charge with sin and in whose spirit is no deceit! 3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat. Selah 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You took away the guilt of my sin. Selah

You took away the guilt of my sin.

Guilt: The state of having committed an offense

Psalm 32:10–11 HCSB

10 Many pains come to the wicked, but the one who trusts in the Lord will have faithful love surrounding him. 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

From Guilt being removed to faithful love surrounding him.

Psalm 103 awake my soul! Be thankful for the forgiveness of Sin. Understand that Jesus Death on the cross forgives my sin for all eternity. Wake up Soul. Holiday season is here. It can be a time of stress. Wake up Soul and praise the Lord for the forgiveness of Sin.

Hebrews 10:12–18 HCSB

12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. 13 He is now waiting until His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. For after He says: 16 This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws on their hearts and write them on their minds, 17 He adds: I will never again remember their sins and their lawless acts. 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Bad news

We also see that in scripture that some praised and thanked God even in bad times. They praised God that He was sovereign and in control.

Look at Job

Job 1:18–22 HCSB

18 He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported: “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house. 19 Suddenly a powerful wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people so that they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” 20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, 21 saying: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh. 22 Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything.

Job loses everything and he says the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh.

Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything

Nehemiah 1:3–11 HCSB

3 They said to me, “The remnant in the province, who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned down.” 4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 I said, Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commands, 6 let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive to hear Your servant’s prayer that I now pray to You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins we have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted corruptly toward You and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances You gave Your servant Moses. 8 Please remember what You commanded Your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. 9 But if you return to Me and carefully observe My commands, even though your exiles were banished to the ends of the earth, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have My name dwell.” 10 They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and strong hand. 11 Please, Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and to that of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success today, and have compassion on him in the presence of this man. At the time, I was the king’s cupbearer.

Praising God in Bad times does several things

It reminds us that He is in control and we are not

It gets our focus off the problem and the One who is in control. Rather than worry and despair then we are filled with hope and peace

Praise and thanksgiving during difficult time draws us closer to the Lord.

Gratitude Practice

What Does Work – Key Features of an Effective Gratitude Practice

Narrative / Story

Choose a specific moment in your life (or someone else’s) where you received gratitude or where something meaningful happened.

Re-tell that moment in your mind: what happened, how it affected you, how you felt. Huberman says this engages the autonomic nervous system (heart rate, vagal action) via story. 

Receiving Gratitude (vs just giving)

Focus on moments when you were acknowledged, helped, appreciated, or the feelings of being cared for.

This shifts brain circuits into prosocial mode more than merely thinking “what I can give”. 

Theory of Mind / Recognizing Others’ Minds

Consider not just your feelings, but the person who helped you: their intention, their mind, their actions. This engages the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). 

Short Duration & Frequency

Huberman suggests that you don’t need long periods: something like 5 minutes, 3 times per week, is sufficient when done well. 

Timing Matters

Choose a consistent time (for example, first thing in the morning, or right before bed) and build habit.

He also mentions autonomic variables (heart rate variability, breathing, vagal tone) are involved—so doing the practice when you can be relatively still helps.