As I’m writing this it’s 3:34am. 

I’ve slept a few hours so far tonight, but in spurts.

And the reason is because I’m holding my 3 day old baby boy. 

And I could not be more grateful. 

My wife is asleep next to me. She just finished feeding our son and it took about an hour. Not to mention just days ago she was going through the intense pain of labor and delivery to bring him into this world and make us a family of four. And on top of that, she carried him for nine months and gave up her body and comfortability so he could be healthy. 

And I could not be more grateful. 

In the other room sleeps our two and a half year old daughter. Most nights at this point she sleeps all night long and plays all day long. She’s crazy, fun, beautiful, and pushes the limits sometimes. 

And I could not be more grateful. 

We’re 26. Tired. Exhausted. Doing our best. And God continues to be good to us. 

But it’s a choice. A daily choice to choose to see and live in the good and shut out the bad, overwhelming, exhausting and dark thoughts that can linger behind every corner. 

We can choose gratitude, or sorrow, there is no other option. 

And when we choose gratitude, daily, everything changes. Okay maybe that’s dramatic, maybe not everything. There are still bills to pay, chores to do, work to get done, and unexpected stress that pops up. But your perspective in it all is what shifts. And you anchor yourself in who Jesus is and what He’s done.  

And that’s the gratitude effect. 

There is a neurological fact that has been stated quite a bit over the past couple years and yet it amazes me every time I hear it. No matter what you read, the conclusion is that 

your brain cannot be anxious or depressed and grateful at the same time.

On a day to day basis can you feel both of these things? Absolutely. Can you be anxious about something while at the same time be grateful for something unrelated? You bet. 

But moment by moment, your brain can only choose one or the other. Anxiety and depression can coexist, but you cannot feel anxious or depressed at the same time you feel grateful. 

Now, this may be a little bit too simplistic for some of you. But hypothetically, if you disciplined yourself to practice thankfulness daily, hourly, and moment by moment, wouldn’t it be possible to entirely replace the hold that anxiety and depression has on you with a feeling of gratitude for who God is and what He’s done for you? I think so. 

   I’m a big subscriber to the idea that what you feed grows. If this is true, then the opposite is true as well, what you starve dies.  

In order to feed gratitude in my life I need to fill my mind with prayer, practice daily gratitude in a journal or my notes app, and pick my eyes up to notice how much I have to be thankful for. By becoming an expert in these things, I will starve anxiety and depression. Not entirely, because that may be impossible in this life, but enough that my thankfulness for life has more dominion of my mind than my anxious and depressed thoughts. 

Want to know God’s will for your life in this area? Paul makes it pretty clear: 

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 

Not just the good circumstances. Not just the easy circumstances. Not just the ideal circumstances. Read the Bible in English, Hebrew, Greek, or anything in between and you’ll find that the word “all” means… all. We are called to be grateful people. 

Train your thoughts to see what you have (not what you don’t) and choose gratitude every single day. Fill your mind with thankful thoughts, and you will run out of room for the things that make you anxious and depressed. 

That’s the gratitude effect.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:4-9