In Everything Give Thanks
Submitted by Pastor Dennis Leatherman
Mountain Lake Independent Baptist Church
Mountain Lake Park, MD
November 27, 2024
1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
A spiritually mature Christian is grateful all the time in all circumstances.
Three "blinders" to gratitude are:
1. Pride will blind us to God's blessings in our lives. We see only our own pain or achievements.
2. Discontentment will blind us to God's blessings in our lives! It seems that contentment does not come naturally and as a result too many fail to see God's blessings and goodness in anything.
3. Taking things for granted will blind us to God's blessings in our lives! Someone has said that if the stars only came out one night a year, we would all stay up all night looking at them in amazement, but because we see them every night, we fail to appreciate their grandeur. I'm afraid this is true concerning many of God's blessings in our lives.
If anyone has a reason to be grateful at all times, it is we who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour.
1. Our Gratitude Should Be Manifest! In Luke 17:11-19 ten lepers were healed. I have no doubt they were all very grateful for this miraculous healing; however, only one came back and expressed his gratitude. He wasn't healed any more than the others. He just responded and manifest his gratitude, and as a result received an extra blessing from the Lord. Throughout Scripture we are told not only to be thankful, but to give thanks.
2. Our Gratitude Should Multiply! As we learn to consistently express our gratitude for the obvious blessings, we grow into the ability to be grateful for the less obvious blessings. Determine to thank God for the obvious blessings in life. We must not take these blessings for granted. Discipline ourselves to give thanks for the burdens—(not so obvious) blessings. Contentment and gratitude for the burdens of life must be learned (see Philippians 4:11).
3. Giving Thanks is Mandatory! We're told in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that it is God's will for His people to give thanks in everything. To do otherwise is sin, is disobedience, and rebellion.
Consider – Being grateful and publicly and sincerely expressing that gratitude is good for us mentally, physically, and spiritually.
