### Introduction
Video Ill.: Thankfulness Overflows - Freebridge Media
(Transcript: "The Bible tells us to give thanks in everything. So how do we do that? Sure, it’s easy to be thankful when life is going well. But what happens when the journey becomes difficult? How do we give thanks in the midst of pain, struggle, or loss? Life has a way of breaking a heart of gratitude. Piece by piece, moment by moment, we lose sight of our calling to live thankful lives.
This Thanksgiving, we need to be reminded of God’s faithfulness. We need to stand on His promise to never leave us or forsake us. We need to trust the plans He has for us. Plans to give us hope and a future. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, gratitude is inevitable, for He walks with us in the deepest valleys and on the highest mountains. Today, we place our trust in Him alone, for this is where thankfulness overflows.”)
Tonight, living a life that is overflowing with gratitude and thankfulness comes truly from seeing Thanksgiving as a lifestyle of worship and not something we do on a single day, once a year.
This is the logical conclusion of our study over the past few weeks.
We began our study by being challenged to move beyond occasional thankfulness and embrace gratitude as a daily decision. We were reminded that gratitude is more than a reaction to blessings—it's a way of life that shapes our hearts, perspectives, and relationships. By living gratefully, we not only grow closer to God, but we also become a powerful witness of His goodness to the world around us.
We then focused on how recognizing God's faithfulness in providing for us cultivates a heart of contentment. Gratitude isn’t just about material blessings but also about seeing God’s hand in every part of our lives. We’re called to respond with generosity, sharing the blessings we’ve received with others.
This morning, we dived into the unmerited gift of God's grace and how His grace should inspire a life of gratitude. We were reminded that grace is freely given to us by God, even when we are undeserving. We are called to respond with gratitude, not just through words, but through actions—living lives of worship, obedience, and service. God’s grace is not a one-time gift, but a continuous flow, meeting us every day with new mercies and empowering us to extend grace to others.
Let’s see tonight how Thanksgiving is truly living a life of worship toward God.
### 1. **Worship Through Thanksgiving**
David writes in Psalm 100:
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs,
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His
pasture.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His name.
|| 5 For the Lord is good and His love
endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all
generations.
(Psalm 100, NIV1984)
Read through the Psalms and it becomes easy to see that David certainly lived out this Psalm in his life. Thanksgiving, gratitude, gladness, and worship seem to flow off his tongue like sweet honey before God.
I certainly can say that I am no way talented with words like David.
I can also say that gratitude and thanksgiving are not as much a part of my life as I hope they would be.
We certainly go to God when we want something. But we do not as frequently go back to God to say thanks afterwards.
So Little Place for Thanksgiving
Source: William Temple, from 3000 Quotations on Christian Themes. Christianity Today, Vol. 32, no. 17.
https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1995/october/1139.html
Copied from Preaching Today
It is probable that in most of us the spiritual life is impoverished and stunted because we give so little place to gratitude. It is more important to thank God for blessings received than to pray for them beforehand. For that forward-looking prayer, though right as an expression of dependence upon God, is still self-centered in part, at least, of its interest; there is something we hope to gain by our prayer. But the backward-looking act of thanksgiving is quite free from this. In itself it is quite selfless. Thus it is akin to love. All our love to God is in response to his love for us; it never starts on our side. "We love, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
Thanksgiving is not just a holiday but an act of worship that honors God.
**Key Point**: We are called to approach God with hearts full of gratitude, acknowledging His goodness and faithfulness.
Tonight, giving thanks is an act of worship. We ought to be expressing gratitude in our lives each and every day.
Sometimes, though, it’s hard to be thankful every day. So, here are a few suggestions of ways we can live a life of thankfulness, not just as a reaction to blessings, but as a continual response to God’s goodness and grace.
**Start the Day with Prayer**
Begin each day by thanking God for the gift of a new day, for His provision, and for His faithfulness. Simple prayers like, “Thank You, God, for this day and the opportunities it brings,” help to focus our hearts on gratitude first thing in the morning.
**Cultivate an Attitude of Praise**
Whether through singing, speaking, or reflecting, praising God throughout the day for His attributes—His love, His justice, His mercy—helps keep our hearts aligned with gratitude. Use everyday moments to offer spontaneous praise: when you see a beautiful sunrise, when you encounter a challenge, or even when you hear a song that stirs your soul.
**Journaling Your Thanks**
Keep a gratitude journal. Write down at least one thing each day you are thankful for. This could be as simple as a moment of peace, a kind gesture, or God’s provision in your life. Reflecting on these moments of gratitude helps us notice God’s active presence in our daily lives.
**Embrace God’s Word**
Regularly read Scripture and reflect on how it speaks to your life. Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” When we engage with God’s Word, we’re reminded of His goodness and faithfulness, which fuels our gratitude.
**Give in Generosity**
God’s provision in our lives calls us to respond with generosity. Whether it's giving of your time, resources, or talents, your generosity becomes a tangible expression of thanks to God for all He has provided.
**Offering Praise Through Music**
Singing hymns, worship songs, or even listening to music that glorifies God can be a daily practice of gratitude. Music has a way of expressing deep emotions of thankfulness and can help us center our hearts on God's goodness.
**Thank God During Difficult Times**
When life feels hard or uncertain, thankfulness can still be a choice. Giving thanks in all circumstances doesn’t mean ignoring pain, but recognizing that even in the difficulties, God’s presence is there, His grace is sufficient, and His promises hold true. Thanking God in tough times keeps our hearts rooted in His faithfulness.
**Acknowledge God in Everyday Moments**
Look for God in the small, mundane moments of life. A warm meal, a phone call with a loved one, the beauty of nature—each of these are gifts from God. Acknowledging and thanking Him for these small blessings can transform your perspective and deepen your sense of gratitude.
By making gratitude a daily part of our routine, we are continually aligning our hearts with worship and praise.
### 2. **A Grateful Heart Brings Us Closer to God**
Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5, NIV1984)
Gratitude brings us closer to God, aligning our hearts with His. It helps us focus on His presence rather than our circumstances.
**Illustration: "The Power of Gratitude in the Midst of Tragedy”**
In 1991, a woman named Ann Voskamp and her family suffered a profound tragedy when her younger sister, who was only 5 years old, was killed in an accident. This event shook their entire family to the core. Ann, struggling with grief, found herself asking the deep questions: How could she still have a grateful heart after such devastating loss?
During this time, Ann began to experiment with keeping a gratitude journal, inspired by the idea of counting blessings in all circumstances, as we just read in 1 Thessalonians. It started with small things: the warmth of a cup of coffee, the sight of a beautiful sunrise, the sound of her children laughing. But over time, Ann began to see a shift in her heart. By intentionally focusing on what she had to be thankful for, even in the midst of grief, her perspective started to change.
Ann’s journey of thankfulness didn’t mean ignoring her pain, but choosing to find hope and beauty amidst it. She eventually turned her gratitude practice into a book titled *One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are*. Through this practice of thankfulness, she found that it was possible to experience joy and peace, even in the hardest moments. Her simple choice to give thanks for what was still good in her life not only helped her heal but also inspired countless others to do the same.
Through her story, Ann Voskamp demonstrated how gratitude can transform our view of the world. By choosing to give thanks in both good times and bad, she discovered a deeper sense of peace and joy. Her story has since impacted millions of people who, like her, find hope and purpose in the midst of life’s challenges.
**Key Point**: Giving thanks in all circumstances—whether in times of joy or sorrow—doesn’t change our circumstances, but it transforms our hearts. Gratitude has the power to shift our focus from what is lacking to what is present, and in doing so, it changes not only our outlook but can also have a ripple effect on the world around us. Giving thanks in good and bad times helps us to stay connected to God, drawing us closer to Him and strengthening our faith.
Tonight, I want to challenge each of us to cultivate that kind of gratitude in our lives — in both easy and hard times. Let thankfulness shift our focus away from our troubles toward the one who gives us peace, hope, healing, and most importantly, love!
### 3. **Gratitude is a Community Expression**
Paul writes in Colossians 3:
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the || Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3, NIV1984)
Giving thanks — being grateful — living a life overflowing with gratitude isn’t just a personal act. It is something that binds us together as a family, as a church, and as a community. That’s why it is important on Thanksgiving, when families are gathered together, to share their stories of gratitude and thanks. We get to see God’s goodness through each other’s lives. We find hope. We find love. We see God. We are encouraged and grow together.
Even if it is around a peppermint pig.
Video Ill.: The Thanksgiving Pig - The Skit Guys
**Key Point**: Sharing our gratitude strengthens the community and serves as a testimony of God's faithfulness.
Tonight, I’ve asked that we bring symbols of gratitude to church. Each item that has been brought in represents something for which the bringer is thankful.
Let’s take a look at some of the things we’ve brought tonight. I would ask that if you are willing to share what your item represents, please do so.
<<Share items>>
These are just some of the things that represent, in their own way, God’s provision, grace and blessings in the lives of the people who brought them.
Each is an illustration of hope. Each is a symbol of God’s love. Each is a story of God’s faithfulness throughout our lives.
What a showing of gratitude. We certainly are overflowing with gratitude in this congregation tonight.
As we leave this place this evening, I hope that we will continue to share our stories of God’s provision, God’s grace, God’s love with each other. May we strengthen and encourage each other with these stories of hope.
On Sundays, we share a long list of prayer requests and concerns. We also share occasionally praises of people who have been healed, or those who are doing better, and ways we see God answering our prayers. I think it would be great if we shared more blessings and praises from the week — ways God has worked in our lives, not as a way to brag, but as a way to lift each other up and remind us that God does work in our lives. God is involved in our worlds. God does love and care for us. And our response should be expressed as gratitude.
### Conclusion:
Thanksgiving is a vital part of our worship, and when we choose to give thanks in all circumstances, we draw closer to God. As a community, our shared gratitude serves as a testimony of God’s goodness to the world around us.
In just a few days, we will be gathering around our family tables. We will be enjoying a bountiful abundance of food and fellowship. We will call the day Thanksgiving. We will break bread with each other. We will return thanks for the food. We will eat, and then go on about our day.
I pray that we will truly consider the blessings in our lives. I pray that we will truly be thankful for all that God has provided and done for us.
I pray that our lives will be overflowing with gratitude as we get up on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and each day after that.
May we always offer our gratitude to God, and that our hearts will overflow daily with thanks!
