Embracing Gratitude: Gifts from God Amidst Life's Trials

 

Summary

My heart is full as we journey through the Gratitude Challenge, especially as we approach Thanksgiving. Today, I want to reflect on two profound truths about gratitude. First, every good thing is a gift from God. As James reminds us, every perfect gift comes from above, and Paul echoes this in his letter to Timothy, affirming that everything God created is good. This perspective shifts our understanding of life, recognizing that all we have is on loan and temporary, not something we merit. Robert Emmons highlights the liberation found in eliminating entitlement and embracing gratitude, acknowledging that life owes us nothing, and all good is a gift.

A poignant example of this mindset is found in the Talmud, in the story of Brewia, who, after losing her two sons, chose to see them as jewels on loan from God. This teaches us that everything we have is a gift, and we must be ready to return it. Similarly, Michael Gerson, a voice from the Christian community, exemplified gratitude amidst suffering. Despite battling depression and illness, he found hope and community among the wounded, realizing that every good thing is a gift and will one day be returned.

Reflecting on my friend Quigg, who always expressed gratitude despite life's challenges, I am reminded that often those who suffer loss develop a heart of gratitude. In Scripture, the opposite of gratitude is grumbling, yet when gratitude is mixed with grumbling, it can transform into redemptive grief. C.S. Lewis noted that even our greatest joys are tinged with a longing for something more, reminding us that this world is not our home.

In African-American churches, gratitude is powerfully expressed in prayers of thanksgiving for the simple blessings of life. Today, let us echo this prayer, thanking God for the community we are part of and the hope we have in Him. Even when strength and perseverance fail, love never does.

Key Takeaways:

1. Every Good Thing is a Gift: Recognizing that every good thing in life is a gift from God shifts our perspective from entitlement to gratitude. This understanding liberates us spiritually and psychologically, as we realize that life owes us nothing, and all we have is a gift. [02:09]

2. The Story of Brewia: Brewia's story from the Talmud teaches us that everything we have is on loan from God. Her ability to see her sons as jewels on loan, even in the face of tragedy, exemplifies a profound understanding of gratitude and the temporary nature of our blessings. [04:10]

3. Gratitude Amidst Suffering: Michael Gerson's life illustrates how gratitude can coexist with suffering. Despite his struggles with illness and depression, he found hope and community, reminding us that gratitude often grows in the soil of adversity. [06:19]

4. The Opposite of Gratitude is Grumbling: In Scripture, grumbling is the opposite of gratitude. Yet, when gratitude is mixed with grumbling, it can transform into redemptive grief, helping us to see beyond our immediate circumstances to the eternal truths of God's goodness. [09:06]

5. The Power of Simple Gratitude: In African-American churches, gratitude is expressed in prayers for simple blessings, reminding us to thank God for the everyday gifts we often take for granted. This practice cultivates a heart of gratitude and acknowledges God's provision in all things. [10:14]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:32] - Gratitude Challenge and Thanksgiving
- [00:47] - Every Good Thing is a Gift
- [01:16] - Consecrated by the Word and Prayer
- [01:45] - Eliminating Entitlement
- [02:57] - The Story of Brewia
- [04:26] - Remembering Michael Gerson
- [05:15] - Gerson's Struggles and Insights
- [06:34] - Community of the Wounded
- [07:08] - Every Good Thing Will Be Returned
- [08:01] - Remembering Quigg
- [08:53] - Gratitude vs. Grumbling
- [09:45] - Gratitude in African-American Churches
- [10:27] - A Prayer of Thanksgiving
- [11:15] - Love Never Fails

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Gratitude Challenge

#### Bible Reading
1. James 1:17 - "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
2. 1 Timothy 4:4 - "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving."
3. Philippians 2:14 - "Do everything without grumbling or arguing."

#### Observation Questions
1. According to James 1:17, where do all good and perfect gifts originate? How does this align with the sermon’s message about gratitude? [00:47]
2. In 1 Timothy 4:4, what is the condition for accepting everything God created as good? How does this relate to the concept of gratitude discussed in the sermon? [01:00]
3. What example from the Talmud was shared in the sermon to illustrate the idea that everything we have is on loan from God? [02:57]
4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between gratitude and grumbling, and what transformation can occur when they are mixed? [09:06]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does recognizing every good thing as a gift from God change a person's perspective on life and entitlement? [02:09]
2. What does the story of Brewia teach about handling loss and viewing our blessings as temporary? How might this perspective affect one's approach to life’s challenges? [04:10]
3. How did Michael Gerson’s experience with illness and depression illustrate the coexistence of gratitude and suffering? What can be learned from his story about finding hope in adversity? [06:19]
4. In what ways does the practice of gratitude in African-American churches, as described in the sermon, highlight the importance of acknowledging simple blessings? [10:14]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt entitled to something. How might viewing it as a gift from God change your attitude or actions? [02:09]
2. Consider a loss you have experienced. How can the story of Brewia inspire you to see your blessings as jewels on loan from God? [04:10]
3. How can you cultivate gratitude in your life, even amidst personal struggles or suffering, as Michael Gerson did? What practical steps can you take this week? [06:19]
4. Think about a situation where you have grumbled or complained. How can you transform that grumbling into redemptive grief and gratitude? [09:06]
5. Identify a simple blessing in your life that you often take for granted. How can you express gratitude for it in your daily prayers or actions? [10:14]
6. How can you incorporate the practice of gratitude into your community or family life, similar to the expressions of gratitude in African-American churches? [10:14]
7. Reflect on the statement "love never fails" from the sermon. How can you demonstrate unfailing love in your relationships, even when strength and perseverance seem to falter? [11:15]

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing Life's Gifts as Divine Blessings
Every good thing in life is a gift from God, a truth that shifts our perspective from entitlement to gratitude. This understanding liberates us spiritually and psychologically, as we realize that life owes us nothing, and all we have is a gift. By acknowledging that every perfect gift comes from above, we can cultivate a heart of gratitude, freeing ourselves from the chains of entitlement and embracing the joy of receiving. [02:09]

James 1:17 (ESV): "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you feel entitled. How can you shift your perspective to see it as a gift from God today?


Day 2: Embracing the Temporary Nature of Blessings
The story of Brewia from the Talmud teaches us that everything we have is on loan from God. Her ability to see her sons as jewels on loan, even in the face of tragedy, exemplifies a profound understanding of gratitude and the temporary nature of our blessings. This perspective encourages us to hold our blessings with open hands, ready to return them when the time comes, and to cherish them while they are with us. [04:10]

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (ESV): "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted."

Reflection: What is one blessing in your life that you need to hold with open hands? How can you express gratitude for it today, knowing it is temporary?


Day 3: Finding Gratitude in Adversity
Michael Gerson's life illustrates how gratitude can coexist with suffering. Despite his struggles with illness and depression, he found hope and community, reminding us that gratitude often grows in the soil of adversity. This teaches us that even in our darkest moments, we can find reasons to be thankful, and that gratitude can be a source of strength and resilience. [06:19]

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Reflection: Think of a current struggle you are facing. How can you find a reason to be grateful in the midst of this adversity today?


Day 4: Transforming Grumbling into Redemptive Grief
In Scripture, grumbling is the opposite of gratitude. Yet, when gratitude is mixed with grumbling, it can transform into redemptive grief, helping us to see beyond our immediate circumstances to the eternal truths of God's goodness. This transformation allows us to process our pain and disappointment in a way that leads to healing and hope, rather than bitterness and despair. [09:06]

Philippians 2:14-15 (ESV): "Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you found yourself grumbling. How can you invite gratitude into that situation to transform it into redemptive grief?


Day 5: Cultivating a Heart of Simple Gratitude
In African-American churches, gratitude is expressed in prayers for simple blessings, reminding us to thank God for the everyday gifts we often take for granted. This practice cultivates a heart of gratitude and acknowledges God's provision in all things. By focusing on the simple blessings, we can develop a deeper appreciation for the abundance in our lives and the ways God provides for us daily. [10:14]

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 simple blessing you often overlook? Take a moment today to thank God for this gift and consider how it enriches your life.

Quotes


I want to talk today about how gratitude recognizes two great truths and one is that every good thing is a gift and it comes from God. In the Book of James it says do not be conceived every good and perfect gift comes from above from the father of all lights The God Who is good. [00:00:42]

Eliminating entitlement from your life and embracing gratitude and humility or spiritually and psychologically liberating, gratitude is a recognition life owes me nothing, and all the good I have is a gift. It is a response to all that has been given, it is not a getting of what we may desire. [00:02:02]

A powerful and tragic example of somebody who grasped this orientation, this posture of life is actually found in the Talmud which is a central text of Judaism and it was a woman named Brewia. She had two sons who both died one Friday afternoon right before Shabbat. [00:02:39]

Berea teaches us a life transforming lesson, everything we have is on loan, everything we have is a gift. You may have seen in the news we just lost a wonderful voice from the Christian Community Michael Gerson was a speech writer for George W bush and uh uh a terrific thinker and writer. [00:04:10]

He writes about how uh as a parent it was so sad for him when his child went off to school and the house became more empty and he said it's a striking and kind of humbling thing to discover that the best part of your life is that stretch in which you were a short part of somebody else's story. [00:06:36]

Every good thing we have is a gift, every good thing we have is alone, every good thing will one day be returned. I've told you throughout this gratitude challenge about my friend quigg I will say a little bit more about him I knew him back in Chicago we would meet together periodically. [00:07:03]

And yet when gratitude is mixed with grumbling then it can turn to Redemptive grief it's a strange thing also C.S Lewis used to write about this that even when we experience our greatest joy in this world it is always tinged with haunted by a kind of sadness a kind of longing. [00:09:03]

Dorothy bass Butler writes in one of her books about how uh particularly powerful expression of gratitude is often to be found especially in African-American churches and here's one of the prayers that's quite common it's offered as kind of a testimony to which everybody is able to uh not say yep me too. [00:09:43]

Thank you God for waking me up this morning for putting Shoes On My Feet, clothes on my back, food on my table, thank you God for health and strength and the activities of my limb thank you that I awoke this morning clothed and in my right mind. [00:10:02]

Thank you for the community that I'm a part of this Fellowship those of us who know we can't but God you can and you do thank you that you are at work to bring about Redemption where I would not know how, thank you that we live with a hope. [00:10:36]

Michael Gerson also that very often our prayers to God our prayers will we ask for strength, but even where strength fails there is perseverance, and even where perseverance fails there is hope, and even when hope fails there is love, and love never fails. [00:11:00]

Gratitude is a recognition life owes me nothing, and all the good I have is a gift. It is a response to all that has been given, it is not a getting of what we may desire my eyes are a gift so are my friends my family my clothes my job my every bet this is a major shift. [00:02:09]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Nov 22, 2022. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?