Sermon: The Power of Gratitude - Being Thankful
Have bucket of blessings
And a mug of moaning
List of blessings in strips
List of moans – no holiday,
Introduction:
Today, I want to talk to about the power of being thankful.
It truly is a very powerful attitude to have.
It can also take quite a bit of practice.
The society we are part of often focuses on what we lack or what goes wrong.
SHOW MUG OF MOANING (BIG)
People point fingers – they moan and complain.
And Sadly it seems that this is increasing.
IT’S LIKE FOLK GO AROUND FILLING UP THEIR LIFE MUG WITH MOANING!
As followers of Jesus Christ, I strongly believe that we should cultivate a spirit of being thankful.
There’s a range of numbers due to translation, but the word for thankful in the bible appears between 130 – 180 times.
Most times, its about being thankful as an instruction.
Guess how many times the bible instructs us to moan or complain? You know it
Being thankful not only
enhances our relationship with God, but also
has a profound impact on our overall well-being and the way we interact with others.
In other words, being thankful can change our lives – AND the lives of people around us.
So let’s get into this.
1. Recognizing God's Blessings:
How do we do at
Recognising, and responding to the blessings and provisions that God gives us each day?
Do you daily thank God for His provisions?
It’s one reason why we have our declare time each Sunday (not put on YouTube because it doesn’t get picked up on the audio).
It’s having opportunity to verbalise just some of the good things that we have from God.
And if it goes quiet during our “Declare” time, I get worried; because we should be able to fill up the whole of Sunday with declaring the great things that come from God.
In fact, we should always be able to fill up a “Bucket of Blessings”! [SHOW]
We have a mug of moaning, now a bucket of blessings
[p]
I got a list….. [DROP EACH IN THE BUCKET]
So the start of being thankful is:
Recognising the many things we have from our God.
Because, once we fill up a few buckets of blessings, the mug of moaning [swap] ……..looks so small.
As Christians, we are called to recognize and appreciate the many blessings that God has given us.
- From the breath in our lungs to the relationships we cherish.
- Every good thing in our lives is a gift from above.
I encourage you to Daily take a moment to reflect on the countless blessings you have received, both big and small.
Remember, "Every good and perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17).
Gratitude in All Circumstances:
Let’s be clear, being thankful does not mean that we will avoid facing challenges or difficulties.
In fact, it is during these times that being thankful becomes even more important.
The apostle Paul reminds us to what?
"give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
This is not an easy task,
but when we choose to be thankful –
in the midst of trials, we shift our focus from our problems to God's faithfulness.
It’s a change of perspective.
Being thankful allows us to not focus on the negative thing, but to see beyond our circumstance - to the big picture.
To the life beyond our temporary problem.
A Heart of Contentment:
One by-product of being thankful – it brings contentment into our life.
When we are truly thankful for what we have, we no longer feel the need keep wanting more and more.
I have a bucket of blessings!
How can I make such a big deal of my mug of moanings when I have a bucket of blessings?
I’m content with this bucket.
God has provided me so much
I don’t feel I can moan those others things.
[p]
God gave His people freedom from the slavery of the Egyptians.
God put Moses in the right place to go and demand from Pharaoh that his people be released to find the land promised them.
“Yes! – a land flowing with milk and honey. Thank you God.”
How far did they get before they really weren’t thank – ful at all. They were thank – empty.
God led them out – over the sea, and towards the land prepared for them.
They moaned about the food God FREELY provided.
They moaned about the water provided
And when they reached the land God was giving them with to live and prosper, what did they do?
They moaned – “the people = giants….. “
Their perspective was a magnum of moans, and a bit of blessings.
God got mad with them!!!
You don’t want the blessings I have for you? Then leave – wander around in the dry wilderness until your generation has perished.
[p]
How’s your heart?
ThankFUL with what God has given to you; or are you looking over people’s shoulders to want what THEY have.
[p]
In John 21, Jesus indicates the way in which Peter would meet his end.
This is immediately after Jesus has reinstated Peter from denying the Lord three times.
More than that Jesus gave Peter the privilege of looking after his church – wow”
But
rather than be happy with that;
rather than being thankful that he was back in Jesus favour;
Peter looks over his shoulder . . . to John.
And he says to Jesus…. (doh) “Lord, what about him?”
Peter, just be thankful for what the Lord has done for you!!
And that’s what we should be doing.
Have a content heart – being thankful for what we have.
Phil 4:11 “Let us strive to develop a heart of contentment through gratitude”.
Expressing Gratitude:
Here’s the thing.
Being thankful is not something that stays inside.
thankFULL means it overflows . .
We are so thank FULL to God for his love and provision – it spills out all over the place…
We shouldn’t only be thankful to God..
But to those God placed around us.. those who
• Serve us
• Friends
• Colleagues
• Bro and sis in church
Look for ways to express your gratitude to those around you.
Thank your family, friends, and even strangers for their kindness and support.
By doing so, we not only uplift others but also cultivate a culture of thankfulness in our community.
The Ripple Effect of Gratitude:
One final thought:
When we choose to live with an attitude of gratitude, when we are thank-FULL, it has a ripple effect on those around us.
Our gratitude can inspire others to count their blessings and shift their perspective too.
As we express our thankfulness, we become a beacon of light in a world that often dwells in negativity.
I tell you, being thankFUL and expressing it, can change lives – ours, and others too.
Let us be agents of change by spreading gratitude wherever we go.
Conclusion:
Church, let’s remember that being thankful is not just a one-time thing, or something we keep to ourselves.
When we are FULL of thanks, it becomes a way of life that we need to train ourselves in.
Cultivating a spirit of being thankful allows us to
• recognize God's blessings,
• find contentment, and
• influence others positively.
Let’s all strive to be thankful each day; for, as it says in 1 Thes. 5:18
"In everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you"
