FULL PLATES, GRATEFUL HEARTS – PART 1 “The Source Behind the Supply”
Forgetfulness Is the Enemy of Gratitude.
Colossians 3:16-17, 16 “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”
Gratitude. There are 157 mentions of gratitude in the Bible. That is almost one for every other day of the year. All we are, all we have, comes from God alone. He is worthy of thanks at every turn, even when life is hard and our circumstances are uncertain because His love is sure, and He is faithful. When we maintain a heart of gratitude it is much easier to remain in a place of unending joy, even in the hardest of circumstances.
Psalm 28:7, 7 “ The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.”
Recognizing that God is the source of our strength and every ability that we have helps us to keep Him in the proper place in our lives. David knew this and shared many times throughout Psalms of his awareness that he was only where he was because God placed him there. From lowly shepherd to beloved king, because of God’s goodness and blessing upon his life, and because David maintained an attitude of gratitude and humility. When David faltered in that gratitude, we see how sin was lurking at the door to overtake him.
Psalm 107:1, 1 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.”
Give thanks to the Lord! Thankfulness and discontent cannot occupy the same space. The fastest way to change our attitude is to shift our focus from what we do not have, to gratitude for all God’s blessings.
SCRIPTURE TELLS US THROUGH PAUL TO BE THANKFUL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES IN 1THESSALONIANS 5:16-18. THIS IS GOD’S WILL FOR US, TO NEVER FORGET HIS LOVE, HIS GOODNESS, HIS PROVISION AND HIS SACRIFICE. REMEMBERING KEEPS US CLOSE TO HIM, WHICH IS THE BEST PLACE FOR US TO BE.
Deuteronomy 4:9-10, 9 “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.10 Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai,[a] where he told me, ‘Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.’”
Moses warns Israel to not forget all that God had done for His people and to be sure to pass those memories down to future generations so they would never forget His faithfulness throughout time. When we forget and begin to rely on our own understanding, our own self-sufficiency, we set ourselves up to be easier targets for the enemy of our souls. Distance from God makes it much more difficult to turn to Him when we need Him most.
Isaiah 51:12-13 12 “I, yes I, am the one who comforts you.
So why are you afraid of mere humans,
who wither like the grass and disappear?
13 Yet you have forgotten the Lord, your Creator,
the one who stretched out the sky like a canopy
and laid the foundations of the earth.
Will you remain in constant dread of human oppressors?
Will you continue to fear the anger of your enemies?
Where is their fury and anger now?
It is gone!”
The Lord speaks through Isaiah to His people, Israel, to remind them of the oppression that comes when they try to live apart from His presence. Let us not be like them and practice thankfulness and remembering God’s goodness to us throughout our lives.
PUTTING THIS INTO PRACTICE
Psalm is filled with remembrance of God’s blessings by its various authors. This is a good book to reference if you need help battling forgetfulness and practicing gratitude.
Read Psalm 100. Write it out and put it where you can see it this week, as you try to memorize it to have it close to your heart.
Which of the five verses stands out to you the most? Why?
Think of a current situation in your life where you are struggling to practice gratitude. Share with your small group one way you can step out to combat forgetfulness and give thanks to God for all He has done.
Read 2 Corinthians 2:14-17. Paul shares why it is so important for us to thank God.
What is Paul’s reasoning for believers to give thanks to God?
Take 5 minutes to sit with this passage and think about how a shift in attitude from forgetfulness to thankfulness can change how you impact others.
Write out a prayer asking God to continue to refine you so that you can give off the sweet aroma of a “Christ-like fragrance” that rises up to God.
God calls us as believers to be different, to be in the world, but not of the world. He calls us to this distinction so that when we share of His redeeming power, people will see that there indeed is something different about our demeanor. He answers when we cry out to Him and deserves our gratitude. Read Psalm 107.
In this passage there are many examples of how God rescues. Which one stands out the most to you? Have you cried out to God in your distress and seen Him answer? Did you give Him praise for His rescue?
God’s rescues are often some of our greatest testimonies to His faithfulness and His love. Ask God to show you how His rescue can be a light to someone in your circle and take time to pray about sharing your testimony to encourage at least one other person.
Take some time each day this week to thank God for the way He is working and moving in your life and for the blessing to be able to glorify His name. Commit to moving forward in gratitude and thankfulness, asking Him to send reminders to you as needed.
