10 Blessings of Gratitude

Even the smallest expressions of gratitude can have the biggest impact on our lives.

Life can often seem chaotic and stressful, where avoiding the downward spiral towards fear and anxiety can be really difficult. Whenever I feel overwhelmed by everything happening around me, I always find peace and comfort by stopping, breathing, and mentally listing all the things that I am grateful for in that moment. No matter how stressed I am, intentionally choosing to focus on gratitude leads me to find healing and strength.

I love Sister Bonnie D. Parkin’s insights on gratitude in her address “Gratitude: A Path to Happiness” in which she discusses the story of the 10 lepers. She explains that by returning to Jesus in gratitude, the one leper shows us that “gratitude is our sweet acknowledgement of the Lord’s hand in our lives.” Jesus responds to the leper’s gratitude by saying “thy faith hath made thee whole” (Luke 17:12-19). He sees the leper’s gratitude as a sign of faith. Likewise, when we express gratitude, we are acknowledging God’s presence in our lives and demonstrating our faith. As we do so, Jesus Christ helps us become whole.

In addition to discussing the 10 lepers, Sister Parkin mentions 10 blessings that come from expressing gratitude—even in hard times. She says that by intentionally expressing gratitude for all things, we all can receive these blessings:

1. Feeling the love of the Lord
2. Having our minds opened to a greater understanding of God and the world
3. Becoming spiritually aware of the wonder found in the smallest things
4. Feeling greater joy and happiness in our hearts
5. Increasing our sensitivity to divine direction
6. Being filled with the Spirit of God
7. Connecting better with the Lord and those around us
8. Becoming whole through our expressions of faith
9. Being made glorious and receiving the riches of eternity
10. Being filled with a sense of peace

When we intentionally express gratitude to the Lord and those around us, we find strength beyond our own and peace amidst the storms of life. I hope that we will all take a little more time to focus on gratitude—especially when life begins to feel overwhelming.

Learn more about these blessings in Sister Bonnie D. Parkin’s full address “Gratitude: A Path to Happiness.”

Source: General Conference

—Katelyn Uibel, Latter-day Saint Insights

FEATURE IMAGE BY SAEED SOLTANKHAH

Find more insights

Learn how “Writing Down Gratitude can Transform Well-being” from Church News.
Listen to President Nelson’s testimony on the “Healing Power of Gratitude.”
Find more ways to show gratitude in the Liahona article “How to Show Gratitude.”
Learn about “Five Ways to Practice Gratitude at Thanksgiving and Beyond” in Emma Rostrom’s Latter-day Saint Insights article.