Faith, Science, Health and Well-being
Service and Science
Research reveals that the act of helping others can lower blood pressure, combat loneliness and depression, and reduce chronic pain and stress, all of which can help boost an individual’s immune system, fight off disease and promote longer life.
A recent five-year study from the Science of Generosity Initiative at the University of Notre Dame examined 2,000 Americans and found that those who described themselves as “very happy” volunteered at least 5.8 hours per month.
Studies show that volunteering can help boost one’s confidence, self-esteem and sense of purpose/meaning in life. It also sets a great example for others and can result in a positive ripple effect of kindness throughout one’s community.
Elderly people who volunteer are 44 percent less likely to die over a 5-year period than those who don’t. One attribute of individuals who live to 100 years old or more is a "life of inconvenience" in which they care for and serve others.
Service Mentioned in the Bible:
AI says: The exact number of times "serving others" is mentioned in the bible is not definitively stated, but there are thousands of references to related words like "servant," "serve," and "service" throughout the Bible, with one source estimating approximately 1,600 such references. The theme of serving others is a core concept, present in many verses and discussed across different sections of scripture.
Gratitude and Science
Over the past two decades, studies have consistently found that people who practice gratitude report fewer symptoms of illness, including depression, more optimism and happiness, stronger relationships, and more generous behavior.
Research has shown that gratitude can improve general well-being, increase resilience, strengthen social relationships, and reduce stress. Grateful people also have a greater capacity for joy and positive emotions.
Those who practice gratitude will be more alert, generous, compassionate, and happier and score higher on measures of overall outlook and life satisfaction.
People who receive expressions of gratitude benefit emotionally and physically, such that even smiling at another may improve their well-being and thanking them results in feel good hormones being released.
People who are consistently grateful will also have stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, better sleep (and better waking).
Gratitude Mentioned in the Bible
AI says: The Bible mentions the concept of gratitude (and related terms like "thankful," "thanks," and "thanksgiving") more than 150 times. Different translations may use different words, such as "gratitude," "grace," or "favor," making this an estimate of the number times the word "gratitude" itself has been mentioned.
Forgiveness and Science
Research has shown that forgiveness is linked to mental health outcomes such as reduced anxiety, depression and major psychiatric disorders, as well as with fewer physical health symptoms and lower mortality rates.
Research demonstrates that unforgiveness is connected to high blood pressure, weakened immune systems, reduced sleep, chronic pain, and cardiovascular problems. Because unforgiveness hinders the body's ability to heal, forgiveness exercises are now being included in cancer treatment plans for patients.
Studies find connections between forgiveness and physical, mental, and spiritual health and evidence that it plays a key role in the health of families, communities, and nations.
A study followed participants for five weeks and measured how their levels of forgiveness ebbed and flowed. They found that when forgiveness rose, levels of stress went down. Reduced stress, in turn, led to a decrease in mental health symptoms.
Forgiveness Mentioned in the Bible
AI says: The number of times "forgiveness" is mentioned in the Bible varies by translation, but the word "forgive" or "forgiveness" appears approximately 95 to over 200 times. For example, the King James Bible uses "forgive" 95 times, while other translations use the word more or less frequently. The concept is central to the Bible, famously illustrated by Jesus' instruction to forgive "seventy times seven" (490 times), which signifies unlimited forgiveness, according to this Quote.