Choosing Thankfulness

Jul 15, 2021

Ten Lepers Cleansed

11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.

13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?

18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”

19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

- Luke 17:11-19

There are several powerful lessons we can glean from the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers. We can be encouraged by the truth that we are invited to go to God boldly in our struggles, and He will answer our prayers according to His will. We can observe how the text points out that Jesus healed a Samaritan - a people group hated by ancient Israel - and be thankful that God loves all, especially the outcasts. But I want to focus on one key aspect of this passage: the power of gratitude.

In this miracle account, the text shows us how important and powerful gratitude is. As shown by the attitude of the Samaritan and the response of Jesus, our thanksgiving gives glory to God and postures our heart in an attitude of worship. We begin to live with thankfulness for what God has done, and are expectantly ready to witness the continued blessings He will provide.

Gratitude is powerful. God instructs us time and time again throughout His word to practice thankfulness because He knows the power of perspective.

Jesus, having experienced the temptations of the world, knows how easy it is to get bogged down by worry and sin. Thankfulness is the antidote, as we condition our brains to expect the goodness of God.

The incredible thing about gratitude is that science totally backs up scripture on this topic (See, science and Christianity don’t have to be at odds! They actually go together!) Psychologists have found that those who express gratitude on a regular basis generally experience higher levels of positive emotions and more regulated negative emotions, resulting in greater satisfaction in life and lower levels of depression, stress, and anxiety. Practicing thankfulness actually changes neural structures in our brain and releases two feel-good chemicals: dopamine and serotonin, which both manage overall mood. In addition, gratitude increases neural modulation in the prefrontal cortex which helps regulate negative emotion, therefore reducing feelings of fear, stress, or shame.

Sorry if you weren’t expecting a science lesson in your devotional!

But this truth is powerful: Jesus instructs us to be grateful because it will rewire our brain to regulate the negativity caused by sin, and more easily experience the love and joy that comes from Christ. Gratitude is powerful!

Our world is full of stressors. Trying to take your thoughts captive and stop the endless train of worry that leaves you a burnt-out mess is easier said than done. But Jesus knows our hearts and our worries. And because He is good, He doesn’t leave us empty-handed. He knows that we can take control of anxiety when we choose gratitude and prayer. God’s word even promises us in Philippians that if we bring our worries and gratitude to God, He will give us a peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:6-7).

It’s time to give gratitude a try. One of my favorite authors, Hannah Brencher, simplifies our response to worry into two words: “please” and “thank you.” When the fear comes up. When you can’t tame your thoughts. When you’re an anxious mess. Turn to Jesus and say, “Please and Thank You.” Say it aloud, scream it into your pillow, or even make a list of your needs AND the blessings you’re thankful for. Then watch as gratitude and God rework your brain to find peace over fear.