Thankful to Grateful: I’m Grateful

                                                                                                                         

 

Thankful to Grateful – Sermon Notes                                                                                         Pastor Brad Myers

I’m Grateful!                                                                                                                                   November 24, 2024

 

Thankfulness: Where it all begins. It is the immediate response of the heart when we recognize blessings in our lives. It’s the natural reaction to God’s provision. When we receive an answered prayer or see a blessing, we instinctively say, “Thank You, Lord!”

·      Tied to specific moments.

 

Gratefulness: The Transformation

 

Gratefulness is a mindset, a way of life that transcends circumstances. It isn’t limited to what’s happening around us; it flows from who God is.

 

Luke 4:38-39a (ESV)

·      Was she thankful????

 

Her Grateful Life shows up

 

Luke 4:39b (ESV)

Thankful to Grateful in three easy steps

 

1.     Recognize God’s Presence in All Things (KEY)

 

God is present not only in our blessings but also our struggles.

 

Romans 8:28 (NLT)

 

When we trust that God is weaving every moment into His greater plan, our hearts can remain grateful, even in uncertainty.

 

The second way we move from thankful to grateful

 

 

2.     Develop a Daily Practice of being Grateful

 

Reason: Thankful Challenge

·      Morning:Thank God for what He is going to do.

·      Evening:Thank God for what He did!

·      Grateful:Thanking God regardless if we thought He did anything.

 

Why?

Agrateful lifestyle isn’t just a feeling; it’s a discipline.

·      Apostle Paul:I have learned……

 

Regardless of the events of the day…

 

Psalm 92 (NLT)

 

Third way we move from thankful to grateful.

 

 

3.     It Transforms Our Relationships:

·      Just different!

 

Gratefulness doesn’t stay private—it overflows.When we live grateful it impacts how we treat others. We become more forgiving, patient, and generous.

·      You can spot them!!

 

Colossians 3:15-16

 

 

Gratefulness reminds us

 

James 1:17 (NIV)

·      We are stewards of those good and perfect gifts.

 

The Command to Be Grateful

 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)

·      Doesn’t say “for all circumstances”, but “in all circumstances”

·      There’s a difference.

 

God doesn’t ask us to be thankful for pain, suffering, or loss, but to find reasons to be grateful even as we endure them.

 

Why?

Thought:Because being grateful is a declaration of trust in God’s sovereignty. It says, “Lord, I may not understand this situation, but I trust You are in control, and I believe You are working this out for my good.”

 

Example: David

Psalm 34:1 (ESV)David wrote this while fleeing from Saul.

·      Even in danger and uncertainty, he chose to praise and thank God.

 

 

Job was grateful

 

Job 1:21b (ESV)

 

 

A Grateful lifestyle is deeper than a moment, situation, circumstance, or event.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)

·      Giving thanks in all circumstances isn’t easy!

·      True gratefulness means finding reasons to thank God.

 

Grateful people recognize that every moment, every trial, every blessing, and even every setback is part of a bigger picture.

·      Gratitude becomes an ongoing response, woven into the fabric of who we are.

 

 

A grateful life brings glory to God.

 

When we live grateful, we become people who see God’s hand in every part of our lives. When we’re living grateful, we stop taking our blessings for granted, and we let every moment remind us of God’s goodness.

Psalm 100:4(NIV)