Gratitude That Overflows: Living a Thankful Life

Devotional

Day 1: Overflowing Gratitude Begins with Knowing God Is God

Gratitude overflows when we remember who God is and who we are in relation to Him. Recognizing that the Lord is God—not just a helper in times of need, but the Creator and Shepherd—shapes our worldview and grounds our thankfulness. When we acknowledge that we are His people, the sheep of His pasture, we let go of the illusion of control and rest in His faithful care. This perspective allows gratitude to flow naturally, as we see every blessing as a gift from His hand, and we are reminded to trust Him in all things. [47:49]

Psalm 100:3 (NIV)
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.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to let go of control and trust God as your Shepherd, allowing gratitude to replace anxiety today?

Day 2: Gratitude Is Practiced, Not Just Felt

Gratitude is not a passive feeling but an active practice that shapes our lives. The psalmist calls us to shout, worship, come, know, enter, give thanks, and praise—each an action that moves us beyond mere sentiment into a lifestyle of thanksgiving. Even when we don’t feel grateful, choosing to express thanks through our words and actions opens our hearts to God’s presence and transforms ordinary moments into sacred ones. Practicing gratitude daily helps us become people whose lives overflow with thankfulness, radiating peace and joy to those around us. [54:38]

Psalm 100:4 (NIV)
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Reflection: What is one specific way you can actively express gratitude to someone or to God today, even if you don’t feel especially thankful?

Day 3: Give Thanks in All Circumstances, Not for All Circumstances

True gratitude is not escapism or pretending everything is perfect; it is giving thanks in all circumstances, even in the midst of chaos or difficulty. The call to “enter his gates with thanksgiving” was originally spoken to people who knew the bustle and challenges of daily life. We are not asked to be thankful for every hardship, but to find reasons for gratitude within them, trusting that God is present with us. This perspective shifts our focus from what is lacking to the blessings that remain, and it opens our hearts to God’s sustaining grace. [51:10]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: Think of a current challenge you are facing—how can you intentionally give thanks to God in the midst of it today?

Day 4: Remembering God’s Faithfulness Through All Generations

Gratitude overflows when we see the big picture of God’s enduring goodness and faithfulness throughout our lives and across generations. Looking back at how God has been present in the past gives us confidence to trust Him now and in the future. His love endures forever, and His faithfulness continues through all generations, reminding us that we are part of a much larger story of grace. This perspective helps us cultivate a grateful heart, even when circumstances change, because we know God’s goodness is constant. [54:38]

Psalm 100:5 (NIV)
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Reflection: Who in your life has modeled overflowing gratitude and trust in God’s faithfulness? How can you follow their example this week?

Day 5: God’s Goodness Is Always Overflowing—Receive and Share It

God’s goodness is like the unending rush of Niagara Falls—always flowing, always available, more than enough for every need. Sometimes we overlook the abundance of His blessings, wishing for something different or more, but when we open our eyes to His constant provision, our hearts fill with gratitude. As recipients of such overflowing goodness, we are called not only to receive but also to share it, letting our gratitude spill over into acts of kindness, generosity, and praise. [57:37]

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: What is one “bucket” you can use today to catch and share God’s overflowing goodness with someone else?

Sermon Summary

This is a week overflowing with gratitude, and as we gather, we are reminded of the many blessings God has poured into our lives. We celebrate milestones, like Miss Jean Roberts turning 100, and we welcome new members into our church family, recognizing that each person is a gift from God. Before the busyness of Thanksgiving week sweeps us away, we pause to remember that every good thing comes from the Lord’s faithful hand. Our worship is rooted in the deep truth that God is God—He made us, we are His, and His love endures through all generations.

Psalm 100 calls us to “shout for joy to the Lord,” to “worship with gladness,” and to “enter His gates with thanksgiving.” These are not passive suggestions but active invitations to live out gratitude in every circumstance. Gratitude is not about pretending life is perfect or escaping from reality; it is about entering the chaos and busyness of life with a heart that recognizes God’s presence and goodness. Even when life is difficult, we are called to give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances, trusting that God is with us in every moment.

Gratitude overflows when we remember who God is and who we are in Him. Like sheep who trust their shepherd, we are invited to rest in God’s care, acknowledging that He is the source of every blessing. Our acts of gratitude are not dependent on how others receive them or on our circumstances, but on the unchanging character of God. When we practice gratitude—actively expressing thanks, serving others, and noticing the blessings around us—we become people whose lives radiate peace and sacredness.

The image of Niagara Falls, with its unending rush of water, reminds us of the relentless, overflowing goodness of God. If God’s goodness is pouring out like 700,000 gallons a second, surely we can come with at least a bucket of gratitude. As we move into this Thanksgiving and Advent season, may we be people who not only feel gratitude but live it out daily, reflecting God’s faithfulness to all generations.

Key Takeaways

1. Gratitude Begins with Knowing God Is God True gratitude starts when we recognize that God is God and we are not. This worldview grounds us, reminding us that our lives and blessings come from His faithful hand, not our own efforts. When we rest in this truth, gratitude becomes a natural response, not a forced feeling. [47:49]
2. Gratitude Is Active, Not Passive The call to “shout,” “worship,” “come,” “enter,” and “give thanks” in Psalm 100 shows that gratitude is something we do, not just something we feel. Practicing gratitude means intentionally expressing thanks, serving others, and making it a daily habit. This active gratitude shapes our hearts and transforms our perspective, even in difficult times. [54:38]
3. Gratitude Enters Life’s Chaos, Not Escapes It Gratitude is not escapism or denial of hardship. Instead, it is the choice to enter the busyness and messiness of life with thanksgiving, trusting that God is present in every circumstance. Giving thanks in all circumstances, rather than for all circumstances, allows us to see God’s hand at work even in the midst of chaos. [51:10]
4. God’s Goodness Overflows—So Should Our Gratitude The relentless flow of Niagara Falls is a picture of God’s unending goodness toward us. His faithfulness endures through all generations, and His blessings are always pouring out. Our response should be to come with open hearts—at least a bucket’s worth—ready to receive and share that goodness with others. [57:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Celebrating Miss Jean’s 100th Birthday
[02:10] - Gathering with Grateful Hearts
[04:00] - Affirming Our Faith Together
[06:30] - Welcoming New Members
[10:00] - Invitation to Join and Upcoming Events
[13:30] - Giving and Living with Thanksgiving
[16:00] - Thanksgiving Traditions and Reflections
[19:00] - The Path to Gratitude
[22:00] - Psalm 100: The Heart of Gratitude
[25:00] - Knowing God Is God
[28:00] - Gratitude in Action: A Story
[31:00] - Entering Life’s Chaos with Thanksgiving
[34:00] - Practicing Active Gratitude
[37:00] - God’s Overflowing Goodness
[40:00] - Living Gratefully Every Day
[43:00] - Looking Ahead to Advent
[45:00] - Benediction and Sending Forth

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Overflowing Gratitude

---

### Bible Reading

Psalm 100 (ESV)
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
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.

---

### Observation Questions

What are the different actions Psalm 100 calls us to do in response to God? (shout, worship, come, know, enter, give thanks, praise)
According to the sermon, what is the significance of the phrase “Know that the Lord is God”? [47:49]
How does the image of Niagara Falls help us understand God’s goodness, as described in the sermon? [57:37]
What does the sermon say about the difference between giving thanks “in” all circumstances versus “for” all circumstances? [51:10]

---

### Interpretation Questions

Why does the psalmist emphasize that “it is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture”? How does this shape our understanding of gratitude? [47:49]
The sermon says gratitude is not about pretending life is perfect. How does entering life’s chaos with thanksgiving change our perspective on difficult situations? [51:10]
What does it mean for gratitude to be “active, not passive,” according to both Psalm 100 and the sermon? [54:38]
The sermon mentions that gratitude is not dependent on how others receive our actions. Why is this important for how we serve and give thanks? [51:10]

---

### Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to “come with at least a bucket of gratitude” in response to God’s overflowing goodness. What is one practical way you can “bring your bucket” of gratitude this week? [57:37]
Think about a recent situation where life felt chaotic or overwhelming. How could you have practiced gratitude “in” that circumstance, even if you weren’t thankful “for” it? [51:10]
The psalm and sermon both call us to express gratitude actively. What is one specific way you can intentionally express thanks to someone in your life this week? [54:38]
The sermon shared a story about serving others, even when your efforts aren’t appreciated. Have you ever experienced this? How did you respond, and how might you respond differently now? [51:10]
Who is someone in your life that models “overflowing gratitude”? What habits or attitudes do you notice in them that you could try to imitate? [54:38]
The sermon says, “Gratitude overflows when we remember who God is and who we are in Him.” What is one truth about God that helps you stay grounded in gratitude, especially during hard times? [47:49]
As we move into Thanksgiving and Advent, what is one new tradition or habit you want to start to help you live out gratitude daily, not just on special occasions? [44:27]

Sermon Clips

We say, you know, I wish I was taller, I wish I was richer, I wish I had this or that or the other thing. We need to be grateful for what God has given us. It says this in the rest of that verse: it is he who made us and we are his, we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Just reflect on that. You know, sheep don't pretend that they're the shepherd and that has to be our relationship with God. Whether we think of God as our holy parent, God is a friend, God is our shepherd, you know, he has made us, we are his. [00:51:58] (46 seconds) #TrustingGodOurShepherd

We don't pretend that we are God or we don't pretend that, you know, we have control. God is the one who has blessing us in that way. Another thing I think I thought about was gratitude overflows when we enter, not escape. When we enter, not escape. And what do I mean by that? Well, first of all, gratitude is not escapism. We are not pretending that everything is perfect all the time. That is not what I mean by gratitude. [00:52:45] (32 seconds) #GratitudeIsNotEscapism

Even in the chaos of life, we're not thanking God for all circumstances. We talked about this a little bit last week, you know, not for, you know, we have bad things, things that are going to happen, we go through tough times. There's a difference in giving thanks for all circumstances and giving thanks in all circumstances. When we enter those courts with praise, when we enter his gates with thanksgiving, it redirects our mind to understand what we're asking for: that God is with us in all circumstances and so therefore we can be grateful in all circumstances. [00:54:21] (43 seconds) #ActiveGratitudePractice

Gratitude overflows when we practice it, not just feel it. And we get that from the Psalms too. I think I wrote it down if I get this piece of paper out. Think about all the words that it says in Psalm 100 about what we're supposed to do. It says shout, worship, come, know, enter, give thanks, praise. None of those are passive. They're all active. Living a life of gratitude, walking on the path to gratitude, having gratitude that overflows comes when we are not just when we're feeling it, you know, when we're feeling grateful, but all the time. It's active. [00:55:08] (40 seconds) #SeeingTheBigPicture

We see that in the text too. It says, "For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations." Through all generations, God has been with us all along and so therefore we can be grateful. Think about this too. I think about people, when I think about practicing gratitude, I like to think about those people in my life who sort of model that for me. I'm guessing that you know people in your life, if you were to say who lives a life of gratitude, who has a lifestyle that just overflows with gratitude, because those are people that can be models for us and examples for us. [00:56:20] (48 seconds) #GodsGoodnessAlwaysFlowing

I think that's a good word for us too as we think about being more thankful people and being more grateful people. So remember, the goodness of God is with us all the time. How can we not share it? How can we not have at least a bucket of gratitude and thanksgiving? The Lord is good, his faithfulness endures to all generations. [00:59:13] (26 seconds)

So remember, the goodness of God is with us all the time. How can we not share it? How can we not have at least a bucket of gratitude and thanksgiving? The Lord is good, his faithfulness endures to all generations. [00:59:21] (18 seconds)

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What does entering God's gates with thanksgiving signify?

How does recognizing God's sovereignty influence gratitude?

In what ways can gratitude overflow actively daily?