Can You Fake Thankfulness to Become Grateful? (7 Minute Prayers): Day 88

The Man in the Pew Show with Phil Mershon

You’ve heard the phrase, “Fake it ‘til you make it.” Does that apply to gratitude? Does that feel inauthentic to you? Maybe even like you’re lying?

Raised as a Christian, I was taught to never lie. So to suggest that I fake gratitude feels counter to my moral fabric.

But researchers suggest that faking it may actually be a good strategy.

Dr. Alex Korb is a neuroscientist at UCLA and the author of The Upward Spiral. He explains: “You can turn a tendency toward a downward spiral of depression and anxiety into an upward spiral of joy and clarity in your life. Expressing gratitude activates serotonin production, which improves your mood and allows you to overcome bad habits, giving you more to be grateful for.”

Does the Bible teach you to fake it?

I hear that and wonder if the Bible supports this. We can actually see the Bible teaching this implicitly. In Psalm 103, David says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (v. 1). He’s reminding himself to praise God. He may not be feeling like praising God at the moment, but he has a long list of reasons to be thankful.

In Psalm 42, David asks, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” He answers himself by reminding himself about what will one day happen, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

Let’s be honest, David doesn’t feel hopeful at this moment; he feels depressed and despondent. But he knows his mind controls his emotions, not the other way around.

Full article and show notes available at: https://maninthepew.com/gc88