Sermon Central
-
Develop An Attitude Of Gratitude
Contributed by Paul Wallace on Dec 6, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: An Attitude of Gratitude doesn’t come automatically, it must be chosen and cultivated.
Develop and Attitude of Gratitude
A woman was visiting some people who lived on a farm, and she noticed a pig limping in the backyard with a wooden leg. She asked the farmer, "What happened to the pig?" The farmer said, "Oh, Betsy is a wonderful pig. One night the house caught fire and she oinked so loud she woke us and we got the fire truck in time to save the house." The woman said, "That’s really something!" The farmer continued, "That’s not all, one day my youngest fell in the pond and Betsy oinked so loud that she got our attention and we were able to pull my daughter out of the pond in time." The woman said, "That’s really amazing! But I still don’t understand why the pig has a wooden leg. The farmer said, "Well, when you have a pig that special, you don’t want to eat him all at once!"
Gratitude didn’t run very deep for the three legged hero.
Just how deep does your gratitude run for God?
Begins with experiencing God’s love and salvation. If you haven’t been born again you will not be able to fully experience the benefits of this verse. Let me say first what it does not say. It does not say we are to be thankful for everything, but in everything or every situation.
“In everything give thanks for this the will of God in Christ concerning You” 1 Thess. 5:18
1. This says that it is Possible to do give thanks in everything.
-I know what you are thinking -That is not possible. What about....?
-There is a lot of situations there is nothing to possibly be thankful for.
2. This says that it is God’s will to give Thanks in everything. (God’s will is always good)
-people wonder what God’s will is
-this is not just a suggestion, option, alternative but God’s will for his children
-this is what pleases him.
3. This implies it is beneficial to give Thanks in Everything.
-Anything that is God’s will is good and He is worthy of and deserves it.
-But also it is beneficial for us also.
-We will explore exactly how it is beneficial in a few minutes
4. It is desirable to give thanks in everything.
-God desires our expression of thanksgiving for what he has done for us.
-If we truly understand even a little of what he has done for us we will desire to do it.
-But sometimes it is not desirable to me, I don’t want to, I want to murmur and complain,
that is your choice, and we have all done it, but it is not the best choice.
5. This says there is something good in everything.
Matthew Henry was robbed.
1. Thankful I have never been robbed before.
2. Thankful they took my wallet but not my life
3. Although they took my all it wasn’t much
4. Thankful I was robbed and not the one robbing
Sometimes the circumstances of our lives are not always the best. In fact, they may be downright bad, but still, we are to look for something to be thankful for! And there is ALWAYS something positive for which we can be thankful!
ILL.- One morning after a terrible snowstorm, Susan was outside shoveling her driveway. She stopped to wave hello to her neighbor, and he asked her why her husband wasn’t out there helping her with the chore.
She explained that one of them had to stay inside to take care of the children, so they drew straws to see who would go out and shovel. "Sorry about your bad luck," he said. Susan replied, "Don’t be sorry. I won!"
Two school teachers who hadn’t seen each other in several years met at a convention, & they began filling each other in on what had happened in their lives since the last time they had visited together.
One teacher said, "I got married two years ago." "Oh, that’s good," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," the first one said. "My husband is twice as old as I am." "Oh, that’s bad," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," she said, "because he is a millionaire several times over." "Oh, that’s good," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," she said, "because he turned out to be mean, & he won’t give me any money at all." "Oh, that’s bad," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," she said. "He did build us a $300,000 house." "Oh, that’s good," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," she said. "It burned down last month." "Oh, that’s bad," her friend replied.
"Well, no, not really," she said. "He was in it when it burned down."
6. Paul practiced this Principle, but his life was not soft and easy.
