Thankful in Every Season

Psychologists and self-help gurus will all tell us that a grateful heart and a positive outlook will do wonders for health and relationships. A person with a heart of gratitude will be seen by others who will want to follow and see what he has going for him.

Such a person is a magnet for sharing the Gospel, and the greatest source of wisdom has much to say on the subject. Dozens of times in the Bible, we read about the value of gratitude. Paul mentions it several times, including in the account of Elisha healing a woman’s sick son.

We read in 2 Kings 4:37, “She fell at his feet and bowed before him, overwhelmed with gratitude. Then she took her son in her arms and carried him downstairs.”

To be overwhelmed with gratitude is an emotional reaction to kindness.

Lamentations 3:22–24 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’”

This is especially interesting because to lament means a person is sorrowful about something. In this case, it’s the prophet, Jeremiah. But notice, even in his grief, he focuses on God’s love and care for him. He is grateful in his circumstance. In modern language, Jeremiah was being intentional about his gratitude.

The Bible tells us there are many variations of gratitude. In Second Corinthians, Paul even expressed his deep gratefulness to God for allowing him to participate in sharing the Gospel. You see, a truly grateful heart transitions from selfishness to concern for others. And we can do the same thing today. When we focus on others, gratitude follows.

In Philippians 4, Paul also passes along a profound life lesson. Here, he says that we can learn to be grateful in all circumstances. Think about that. Grateful — whether in distress or good times. Abundance, or poverty.

A few years ago, a youth missions group was repairing homes damaged by storms in Louisiana. A girl entered a house that was missing part of its roof, and she found an elderly woman rocking in a chair in a bedroom. “Oh, I’m just so happy to have a dry place to sit,” the woman said. She literally had no other dry areas in her home to be until help could arrive. Yet she didn’t complain about her circumstances. Instead, she gave thanks to the Lord, and in so doing — inspired that 16-year-old girl.

Gratitude is a perpetual gift, to us, and to others.

Let’s pray.

Father God, you are good. You’re good to us every day, and we are thankful for that. We’re grateful that you didn’t leave us in our sins, but you sent Jesus. We’re grateful that you sustain us always, in body and in spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Psychologists and self-help gurus will all tell us
that a grateful heart andpositive outlook will do wonders
for health and relationships.
A person with a heart ofgratitude will be seen by others
who will want to follow and seewhat he has going for him.
Such a person is a magnet forsharing the gospel.
And the greatest source ofwisdom has much to say on the

(00:22):
subject.
Dozens of times in the Bible, weread about the value of
gratitude.
Paul mentions it several times,including in the account of
Elisha healing a woman's sickson.
We read in 2 Kings 4.37, Shefell at his feet and bowed
before him, overwhelmed withgratitude.
Then she took her son in herarms and carried him downstairs.

(00:43):
To be overwhelmed with gratitudeis an emotional reaction to
kindness.
And Lamentations 3, 22 through24 says, The steadfast love of
the Lord never ceases.
His mercies never come to anend.
They are new every morning.
Great is your faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, says mysoul, therefore I will hope in

(01:05):
him.
This is especially interestingbecause to lament means a person
is sorrowful about something.
In this case, it's the prophetJeremiah.
But notice, even in his grief,he focuses on God's love and
care for him.

(01:28):
The Bible tells us there aremany variations of gratitude.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul evenexpressed his deep gratefulness
to God for allowing him toparticipate in sharing the
gospel.
You see, a truly grateful hearttransitions from selfishness to
concern for others.
And we can do the same thingtoday.

(01:48):
When we focus on others,gratitude follows.
In Philippians 4, Paul alsopasses along a profound life
lesson.
Here, he says that we can learnto be grateful in all
circumstances.
Think about that.
Grateful whether in distress orgood times, abundance or
poverty.

(02:09):
Few years ago, a youth missionsgroup was repairing homes
damaged by storms in Louisiana.
A girl entered a house that wasmissing part of its roof, and
she found an elderly womanrocking in a chair in a bedroom.
Oh, I'm just so happy to have adry place to sit, the woman
said.
She literally had no other dryareas in her home to be until

(02:30):
help could arrive.
Yet she didn't complain abouther circumstances.
Instead, she gave thanks to theLord and in so doing inspired
that 16-year-old girl.
Gratitude is a perpetual gift tous and to others.
Let's pray.
Father God, you are good.

(02:52):
You're good to us every day.
And we are thankful for that.
We're grateful that you didn'tleave us in our sins, but you
sent Jesus.
And we're grateful that yousustain us always in body and in
spirit.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.