The Power of Gratitude to Stop Negative Thoughts

Have you ever gone through a slump? A season where the lows are more frequent than the highs? A season where life has lost its enthusiasm?

Maybe you’ve been down for a while and want life to get back to normal. 

I’ve been there. And it’s no fun. How do you pull yourself out of the slump? 

One of the quickest and most effective ways I’ve found to pull yourself out of a negative mindset is with “I’m grateful” statements. 

The Truth About Negative Thoughts

The Bible reveals that there’s a real enemy, and there’s nothing positive about him. 

Satan is always whispering negative lies, convincing you that it’s your own thoughts. The truth is- they are not your thoughts; they are an attack against you. They are the fiery darts of the enemy that the Bible talks about (Ephesians 6:16). 

Jesus said that the enemy ONLY comes to steal, kill, and destroy. 

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 NKJV

There’s a purpose for all those negative thoughts coming to your mind – to steal from you, kill your dreams and destroy your destiny. 

During some seasons the negative onslaught can seem to intensify. 

Maybe you’re on the verge of a breakthrough, maybe you’re making a Kingdom difference. Maybe you’re just tired and the enemy doesn’t play fair. 

Whatever the reason, when it seems that the enemy has upped his anty, we have to know how to fight back. 

Put a Stop to the Negative Assault on Your Mind

For me, the assault comes in the form of complaints. I start complaining in my thought life about everything… my kids, my house, my husband, my life. The very things that I am truly the most thankful for! 

Before long I am in a totally negative state, feeling like a victim. Nothing seems right. 

When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right! Proverbs 15:15 TLB

Have you been there? Everything seems wrong? Everything seems gloomy? 

The good news is you can use the power of “I’m grateful” statements to pull yourself out of a negative mindset quicker than you got there!

How to Use “I’m Grateful” Statements

The first key to using “I’m grateful” statements is to always, always speak them out loud. 

Every time you think a negative thought, immediately speak out loud “I’m so grateful for ____ (whatever you are having negative thoughts about)”. 

Here’s some examples:

Something your spouse does gets on your nerves. You start thinking all kinds of negative thoughts like “my spouse always does this, they don’t care about me etc. etc.” Immediately say out loud “I’m so grateful for my spouse”. 

Your kids are driving you crazy. You start thinking about how your friend’s kids are so much better behaved or how you’d rather be somewhere else, anywhere else, than taking care of your kids right now. Immediately, speak out loud “I am so grateful for my children”. 

Maybe you’re driving through the suburbs and you see all the nice homes. A thought comes to your mind like “why are their houses nicer than mine?”. Immediately say out loud “I’m so grateful that I live in a prosperous city”. 

You open your closet and see the huge mess. Thoughts bombard your mind like “I am so unorganized. Look at this disgusting mess”. Immediately say out loud “I’m so grateful for all the clothes I have to wear”. 

You look in the mirror and the thoughts come faster than lightning – “Your face is so puffy today; you look ugly”, or “Your hair is thinning; look how old you look”. Immediately say out loud “I’m so grateful for the way I look”.

The Power of Gratitude

There’s something about gratitude that can quickly and powerfully shift your perspective. Part of the reason for this is because the enemy absolutely hates gratitude. It’s completely opposite of his selfish nature. 

When you begin to release gratitude out of your mouth, you are praising God. You are shifting the atmosphere into one that the devil absolutely hates and will flee from (James 4:7). Gratitude releases a sweet smelling aroma into the air that has an effect on the spiritual realm. 

When you release gratitude out of your mouth, you are also allowing God to manifest in your situation. God says that He inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). 

Using “I’m grateful statements” will change your life. Gratitude instantly releases positive emotions into your body. A review of the research on gratitude and mental health published in the journal “Clinical Psychology Review” found that gratitude is associated with increased life satisfaction, positive emotions, and decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety (Wood, Froh, & Geraghty, 2010).

I encourage you to use “I’m grateful” statements this week and see the difference it makes in your perspective, your emotions, and your situations. Negativity will melt away from a person who is always releasing gratitude!