Embracing Gratitude: A Transformative Discipline in Life
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the profound subject of gratitude, a core family value rooted deeply in Scripture. Gratitude is not just a fleeting feeling but a discipline that we can learn and cultivate in our lives. We began by acknowledging the challenge of maintaining gratitude when life seems anything but great. Even in the midst of trials, like the Apostle Paul who wrote to the Colossians from prison, we are called to be grateful. Paul’s message is clear: despite his dire circumstances, he encouraged the church to live a life marked by love, forgiveness, and peace, all stemming from a heart of gratitude.
We explored three key disciplines of gratitude. First, we can be grateful in our relationships. God’s love and forgiveness towards us should inspire us to extend the same grace to others. This kind of gratitude transforms our interactions and can even lead others to Christ, as illustrated by the story of a pastor who forgave a young man who had vandalized his church, leading to the young man's conversion.
Second, we discussed the importance of gratitude in our hearts. Gratitude is a choice, a conscious decision to see the good amidst the bad. It’s about letting God’s peace control our thoughts and guide us through our suffering. This discipline helps us grow beside our pain rather than letting it grow inside us, leading to a life of freedom and contentment.
Lastly, we focused on gratitude in our worship. True worship stems from recognizing God’s worth and responding with a heart full of gratitude. Worship is not just about singing songs but about acknowledging God’s sovereignty and goodness in every aspect of our lives. When we choose to worship with a grateful heart, we experience a profound peace and joy that transcends our circumstances.
### Key Takeaways
1. Gratitude in Relationships: Embracing gratitude in our relationships means extending the same love and forgiveness that God has shown us. This act of grace can transform not only our hearts but also the hearts of those around us, leading them closer to God. [05:54]
2. Gratitude in Our Hearts: Gratitude is a conscious choice that helps us see the good amidst the bad. It allows us to grow beside our pain rather than letting it grow inside us. This discipline leads to a life of freedom and contentment, guided by God’s peace. [18:52]
3. Gratitude as a Guide: Gratitude can guide us through our greatest suffering, helping us to grow beside our pain rather than letting it consume us. It allows us to walk hand in hand with God, finding strength and hope in His presence. [19:52]
4. Gratitude in Worship: True worship stems from recognizing God’s worth and responding with a heart full of gratitude. Worship is not just about singing songs but about acknowledging God’s sovereignty and goodness in every aspect of our lives. [25:12]
5. Gratitude as a Superpower: In a world obsessed with negativity, gratitude becomes a superpower. It gives us the strength to fight back against the tyranny of what isn’t with what is, helping us to see the good and set a positive tone in our environments. [13:16]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:21] - Introduction to Gratitude
[03:00] - Paul's Message to the Colossians
[05:54] - Gratefulness in Relationships
[09:13] - The Power of Gratitude
[13:16] - Gratitude as a Superpower
[18:52] - Gratefulness in Our Hearts
[19:52] - Gratitude as a Guide
[25:12] - Gratefulness in Worship
[32:38] - Closing Prayer and Worship
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV): "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 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."
### Observation Questions
1. What virtues does Paul encourage the Colossians to clothe themselves with in Colossians 3:12-14?
2. According to Colossians 3:15, what should rule in our hearts, and what are we called to be?
3. How does Paul suggest we let the message of Christ dwell among us in Colossians 3:16?
4. In the sermon, Pastor Micah shared a story about a pastor who forgave a young man who vandalized his church. What was the outcome of this act of forgiveness? [08:35]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul emphasize the importance of love in binding all virtues together in Colossians 3:14? How does this relate to the concept of gratitude in relationships discussed in the sermon? [05:54]
2. How can letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts help us to be grateful even in difficult circumstances, as mentioned in Colossians 3:15 and the sermon? [18:52]
3. What does it mean to let the message of Christ dwell among us richly, and how can this practice foster a heart of gratitude in our worship? [25:12]
4. Pastor Micah mentioned that gratitude can be a guide through our greatest suffering. How does this idea align with Paul's teachings in Colossians 3:15-17? [19:52]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a relationship in your life where you struggle to extend forgiveness. How can you apply the principle of gratitude in that relationship this week? [05:54]
2. Think about a recent challenging situation you faced. How did you respond? How might choosing gratitude have changed your perspective or actions in that situation? [18:52]
3. In what ways can you incorporate gratitude into your daily worship practices, beyond just singing songs? How can this change your overall attitude towards life? [25:12]
4. Pastor Micah shared a personal story about shifting his attitude from frustration to gratitude during a hospital visit with his son. Can you recall a time when you needed an attitude adjustment? What steps can you take to cultivate gratitude in similar future situations? [15:23]
5. Identify one area of your life where you feel resentment or bitterness. What practical steps can you take to let go of these feelings and allow gratitude to guide you instead? [18:52]
6. How can you be a source of gratitude and positivity in your workplace or community? Share a specific example of how you plan to do this in the coming week. [13:16]
7. Pastor Micah mentioned that worship is about recognizing God's worth. How can you remind yourself of God's worth in your daily life, especially when you feel overwhelmed or discouraged? [25:46]
Devotional
### Day 1: Extending Grace in Relationships
Gratitude in relationships means extending the same love and forgiveness that God has shown us. This act of grace can transform not only our hearts but also the hearts of those around us, leading them closer to God. When we choose to be grateful for the people in our lives, even those who may have wronged us, we reflect God's love and forgiveness. This kind of gratitude can be a powerful witness to others, as illustrated by the story of a pastor who forgave a young man who had vandalized his church, leading to the young man's conversion. [05:54]
Colossians 3:13-14 (ESV): "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?
### Day 2: Choosing Gratitude in Our Hearts
Gratitude is a conscious choice that helps us see the good amidst the bad. It allows us to grow beside our pain rather than letting it grow inside us. This discipline leads to a life of freedom and contentment, guided by God’s peace. When we choose gratitude, we allow God's peace to control our thoughts and guide us through our suffering. This choice helps us to focus on the blessings in our lives, even when we are facing difficult circumstances. [18:52]
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV): "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to be grateful? How can you choose to see the good in that situation today?
### Day 3: Gratitude as a Guide Through Suffering
Gratitude can guide us through our greatest suffering, helping us to grow beside our pain rather than letting it consume us. It allows us to walk hand in hand with God, finding strength and hope in His presence. When we face trials, choosing gratitude can help us to focus on God's presence and His promises, rather than our pain. This perspective can transform our suffering into an opportunity for growth and deeper reliance on God. [19:52]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: Think of a recent trial you have faced. How can you choose to see God's presence and promises in that situation today?
### Day 4: Worshiping with a Grateful Heart
True worship stems from recognizing God’s worth and responding with a heart full of gratitude. Worship is not just about singing songs but about acknowledging God’s sovereignty and goodness in every aspect of our lives. When we choose to worship with a grateful heart, we experience a profound peace and joy that transcends our circumstances. This kind of worship transforms our relationship with God and deepens our faith. [25:12]
Psalm 100:4-5 (ESV): "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations."
Reflection: How can you incorporate gratitude into your daily worship? What are some specific ways you can acknowledge God's goodness in your life today?
### Day 5: Gratitude as a Superpower
In a world obsessed with negativity, gratitude becomes a superpower. It gives us the strength to fight back against the tyranny of what isn’t with what is, helping us to see the good and set a positive tone in our environments. When we choose gratitude, we can transform our perspective and influence those around us. This superpower allows us to focus on the blessings in our lives and to spread positivity and hope in a world that often focuses on the negative. [13:16]
Philippians 4:8 (ESV): "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you tend to focus on the negative? How can you choose to see the good and set a positive tone in that area today?
Quotes
### Quotes for outreach
1. "Gratitude. When I let God be God and I trust him. And you know what she did? She decided to go and forgive this man because she was a Christian. She understood what God had done for her. She actually extended grace to him. It didn't undo the pain. It didn't undo the bad things that happened. But we know what it did do. It brought freedom to him and freedom to her. And he received the Lord that day." [11:45] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Gratitude gives us the power, say power, to fight back against the tyranny of what isn't with what is. It helps me to see the good. It helps me to see what can be. I want to be around some people who don't just take the temperature, but I want to be around some people who know how to set it. Some people who can say, I know this is where it is, but it's not where we're going to go." [13:16] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Gratitude is not about making what we're going through small or making it like, oh, it's not a big deal. It's just making God big. It's just saying, yeah, that sucks and we're walking through that, but God's big. God sees yesterday, today, and forever. God's never woken up surprised. God didn't pace back and forth last night anxious in his bedroom. He didn't go, oh, I didn't know that was going to happen." [24:13] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Gratefulness helps us to lift our eyes from where we are to who God is. And you know what that's called? Worship. And that leads us to point number three. Discipline number three for a life of gratitude is gratefulness in our worship. Many of us have stopped being grateful in our worship. The scripture says with thankful hearts. With what? Thankful hearts. Sing psalms, hymns, spiritual songs of God." [25:12] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Worship means it's worth it. I wonder what kind of worth God has in our lives when we're sitting here going, Lord, I'm giving you everything. There is a God and I'm not it. I'm not the sole inventor of my success. I can't justify and save myself. I can't claim the credit for everything that's happened. I'm the recipient of enormous grace. He doesn't owe me anything. I owe God everything." [29:24] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for members
1. "When we choose to accept and we have to let, we have to accept it, that the love and forgiveness that God offers us and we find the ability within ourselves to offer love and forgiveness to others. As well, say relationships. So what in the world does this have to do with gratefulness? Micah, you're talking about God's love. What does it have to do? The word grateful in the Hebrew is this word, which means you ready to have compassion on someone to bestow favor. And then I love this. We have this in my in my house right above our steps. It says to see the good. Gratefulness is choosing to see the good." [06:48] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Gratitude is a guide out of the difficult things into the freedom that God wants for me. How can we be grateful in the middle of grief? Many of us, grief has been the loudest part. It's been the loudest part of our story recently, and that's real. God doesn't want to diminish that. He's just saying you don't have to stay there. So it's been said that grief is love without anywhere to go. Grief is love without a home. And I want to suggest this morning that if that's true, gratitude is the home where love and where relationships can grow." [10:55] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Gratitude can become a guide in the midst of our greatest suffering as some of us have some suffering that we're walking through right now. But it can help us grow beside the things that are hurting us so that those things don't grow. But it can also help us grow inside of us. Gratitude allows me to, I don't have to diminish or act like that thing didn't happen or bypass it. Gratitude just allows me to step next to it and help the Lord guide me through it instead of allowing that thing to grow inside of me." [19:52] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Gratefulness is really the discipline of grabbing my heart and reminding it that God is still on the throne. You know, Jesus said in this world you will have trouble, say bad news. But then he said right after that, but take heart. For I have overcome the world. What does that mean? It means grab your heart. Don't let your heart grab you. Don't let your heart control you. Take heart for I have, where's our hope? Our hope is in Jesus. I'm going to take heart. I'm going to grab my heart and choose to be grateful even when I don't feel it you're working." [18:22] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Gratitude as a discipline, read it with me, involves a conscious choice. I can choose to be grateful even when my emotions and feelings are still steeped in hurt and resentment. The choice. Say the choice. For gratitude rarely comes without some real effort. Most of us don't just wake up feeling grateful even though yesterday we were hateful. We have to choose. It's not easy. But it's worth it." [23:44] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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