Gratitude: The Gift that Keeps on Giving

 

“If you can’t be thankful for what you receive,
be thankful for what you escape.”

  Matthew Henry, an 18th-century Puritan preacher whose Bible commentary is one of the most popular of all time, was once accosted by robbers while living in London. Being robbed, having something stolen, or having your home or car broken into is a horrible feeling. You feel so violated. It’s among the most unsettling things that can happen to a person. I’m sure it was, as well, for a quiet, thoughtful pastor and man of letters like Matthew Henry. Yet, somehow, as he reflected on it (as he wrote in his diary), even in that invasive act, Matthew Henry couldn’t help but find something to be thankful for as a result of his misfortune.

  He wrote: “Let me be thankful. First, because I was never robbed before. Second, because although they took my wallet, they did not take my life. Third, because although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” 

  Wow! I hope my growth in godly gratitude reaches that pinnacle someday. God has worked in my life and I’m so much further than I was, yet I have so far to go. A spirit of thankfulness isn’t something you can check off your “To Do” list and you’re done. It’s an area that you and I will need to continue to work on and grow in until we’re Home. 

  So, how are you doing with gratitude? Hopefully, our series, Thank-full, has helped you. I know it’s helped me. Early in this series, I mentioned Ann Voskamp’s powerful book, One Thousand Gifts. As Ann began to record God’s blessings in her life, others noticed. Before recording God’s blessings in her life she’d struggled with depression and sadness. Writing down God’s blessings revolutionized her life. 

  Are you becoming more grateful? Have others noticed? Have they said anything? If not, let me encourage you to ask a godly friend to let you know how you’re doing in gratitude. We all need the encouragement. And if they honestly share that we’re known more for griping than our gratitude, then we need to repent and grow in thankfulness. 

  Today is our last sermon in this series, but it must not be the end of growing in gratitude. Individually and as a church we must continue to grow in gratitude. It must be part of our spiritual DNA. We have so much to be thankful for. Growing gratitude carries with it countless blessings. 

  Gratitude draws us closer to our Father. All of us love to be thanked. Recently, I took a box of donuts to a local group that I support and someone on their staff took the time to send me a thank you note. It made my day. I took the donuts because I wanted to encourage them. Their thank-you note encouraged me! God designed us that way. Our Father loves it when we sincerely and habitually thank Him. 

  Do you long for a greater sense of God’s closeness? As stress intensifies, when nighttime worries seem to magnify in strength, when days are piling up one after another, or when life simply feels dull and routine, do you crave the assurance of His presence? The Bible says that God inhabits the praise of His people (Psalm 22:3). God lives in the place of praise. If you and I want to go where He is, we must go to His address. 

  Expressing gratitude to our Father makes Him more real in our lives. It increases our depth perception of the One who knows our name, loves us, and knows all about us. He knows our deepest wounds, vilest sins, and failures and still loves us. Intentional gratitude transports us nearer to Him! 

  Gratitude is the path to deep, soul peace. Peace is not a change of scenery. Prayer, peace and thanksgiving all go together. As I pray and leave my burdens with the Father, He floods my soul with peace. And then I thank Him over and over again (Philippians 4:6-7). They’re interrelated. 

  When prayer tag-teams with gratitude, when we open our eyes to see God’s grace and mercies even in the midst of pain and trials when we exercise faith and thank Him even in the storm when we can’t see blue sky anywhere, He meets us with indescribable peace. Praise and prayer are vital. Yet, to really experience His peace we must come to Him in gratitude. Hard gratitude. Costly gratitude. The gratitude that trusts that He is working for our good even in the midst of the fire. It’s the kind that garrisons our hearts with His unexplainable peace. 

  Gratitude is the yardstick of our hearts. When you ask friends over for a meal or out to dinner, it’s a sure sign that you like them and enjoy their company, and are comfortable spending time with them. 

  One common trait of those in the pages of Scripture who were close to the Lord is gratitude. All the other traits of godliness are connected to it. When we’re grateful to God for His obvious and even more subtle (or hard to understand) forms of blessing, it’s a measure of the condition of our heart. It reveals you believe that He is good, faithful, and can be trusted. 

  Complaining, negativity, and pessimism are sadly measures of our heart, too. They may even indicate we don’t really know the Lord. Christians have been rescued at the expense of God’s only Son from Hell. We’ve been forgiven freely because of the cross though we’re absolutely undeserving. The very worst in this life is truly a pittance of pain compared to an eternity separated from God. Stop and think about what Jesus really did for us on the cross. How can we not continually praise Him? 

  In May of 1915, the British passenger ship, Lusitania was torpedoed by a German submarine. When the Lusitania was hit, there were 1,962 people on board. In a matter of minutes, the huge ship began to come apart. In the next few hours, 1,201 passengers and crew died. One of those who went down with the ship was American millionaire, Alfred Vanderbilt. Survivors reported that he spent his last moments helping others to safety. He rounded up as many children as he could and got them into lifeboats. Just before the ship went down, Vanderbilt handed his life jacket to a young mother with a baby in her arms. 

  While it was a brave and noble sacrifice, the Lord Jesus did so much more for us! He took upon Himself all of our sins and died our death, our spiritual death. Without Jesus, we were going down for all eternity. Now we’re going to spend eternity in heaven with Him because of His sacrifice. How can we not overflow with gratitude?

  The forgiven must be known for being thankful! It’s obedience. It’s God’s will. Are you? Let’s grow in gratitude!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.