Gratitude is defined as recognizing and acknowledging goodness—especially when it didn’t have to be given. In my mind, it’s probably one of the hardest things to learn to speak out loud. When I think of gratitude, I think of how we are called to enter God’s courts with thanksgiving, or how we’re instructed to give thanks in all circumstances. Gratitude holds a lot of power. When we act or respond in gratitude to God and His blessings, we are walking in obedience and worship.
Multiple verses talk about how we are to enter God’s presence. Honestly, I can’t imagine that, as God, I would be thrilled if my children were always showing up with one more request. We are called to think about His character, His goodness, His faithfulness—and respond in gratitude because of who He is. To that end, I encourage you to start a gratitude journal or practice speaking gratitude when you pray out loud. Make it a point. It will overflow into the way you speak and treat others.
When it comes to the way we speak, God tells us in Philippians 2:14, “Do all things without grumbling or complaining.” I know—it’s not easy. It was one of the first verses I memorized about how we’re called to speak, and honestly, it was (and still is) one of the hardest to live out. So how do you talk with gratitude when things are not how you want them to be? What does that even sound like? Why does it matter whether I’m grateful or complaining?
Let’s talk about the effects of being grateful. Did you know gratitude has emotional, mental, and physical benefits? Science has shown that it reduces anxiety and depression, improves sleep quality, strengthens the immune system, lowers blood pressure, and reduces the risk of heart attack. It also improves relationships, generosity, compassion, and deepens your faith and worship.
It always amazes me when science confirms what God has been saying for centuries. Like—He already knew, and we’re just catching up. It’s incredibly cool.
Let’s start with the mental benefits. Your brain releases two “feel-good” chemicals that act like natural antidepressants: serotonin and dopamine. These are released through things like checking off a to-do list, eating certain foods, getting enough sunlight, exercising—or practicing gratitude.
Dopamine is known for inspiring creativity, energizing your purpose, and rewarding perseverance. Serotonin is linked to consistency and stability. Here’s how it works: you start focusing on gratitude. Maybe you keep a journal, or—like me—you list six “impossible” things each morning (thank you, Alice in Wonderland) that you’re grateful for. Then, once you complete the list—dopamine hit! Over time, this becomes automatic. You’re doing it without even noticing, and your brain starts rewarding you with serotonin too (because consistency is key).
This, my friends, is how you fight depression. Making gratitude a consistent habit helps you shift from the anxiety spiral of “What if” to a mindset grounded in what is true, present, and good. It’s hard, but it can be done. Philippians 4:8 instructs us to focus on whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, or praiseworthy.
Have you ever had too much free time? I have. I was recently in a job where I had nothing but time on my hands. And when your hands are idle, your mind starts to focus on everything. It can be your worst enemy. You stop being grateful, and instead start focusing on the bad. And what happens when we focus on the bad? We complain. We start grumbling. It turns into “Why me?” or “But they aren’t…” And that is a losing game to play.
My stress, anxiety, and blood pressure went up.
Don’t believe me? I was at the doctor getting checked in, and as I sat in the chair talking to the nurse, she hooked me up to the blood pressure cuff. My normal BP is 120/60, which is really good. She asked me about work—and my blood pressure shot up to 140/90, which is high. She raised an eyebrow and said, “Whoa! We need to not talk about your work right now. It’s affecting your blood pressure.” We paused, chatted about other things, and she took it again. It had gone back to 120/60.
Stress is real, people. And it has real effects.
So how do we speak without complaining or grumbling? How do we speak with gratitude?
We start by changing “I have to” into “I get to.”
Example: “I have to do the dishes at work” becomes “I get to serve my coworkers.”
Speaking with gratitude doesn’t mean ignoring reality. It’s not putting your head in the sand. It’s choosing to reframe what’s happening. Gratitude speaks from hope, not heaviness. We might be weary—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—but we can still speak life and hope.
We are called to be lights—to shine in the darkness. To stand out.
Do we speak and act in a way that makes our gratitude visible? Do people hear us and think, “They really have an attitude of thanksgiving”—or do we sound like just one more voice in the sea of complainers?
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Whispers of Christ 