Here are the links.
How to be thankful in an uncertain world
Ways to be thankful when life gets hard
“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11
Chapter 9 of Second Corinthians gives us an example of a cheerful giver. In these verses, Paul associates giving with the principle of sowing and reaping.
The more a farmer sows a crop, the more harvest he receives; the same is true for a giver. When we give or sow generously, we will reap generously.
All resources come from God, and Paul insists that God can increase them. God supplies the seed and multiplies the harvest.
Trusting that God will supply our every need allows us to share with those around us. And as we do, we can’t help but be grateful to God for the harvest.
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” Luke 16:10
Jesus is telling a parable about a rich man and his manager. The manager was wasting the rich man’s possessions. One day, the rich man asked his manager about the accusation. Of course, the manager devised a plan and used his financial expertise to make friends for himself.
As believers, we must prepare for the day we give God our account of how we used His resources. Whether the resources are time, talent, or money, we must endeavor to avoid wasting them, maximize their return, and ensure the investment pleases God.
We should ensure our time is used wisely, our talent is shared to encourage others and glorify God, and our finances are spent carefully and responsibly.
We are entrusted with these small things; when we care for them, God will bless us with greater things.
“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,” Philippians 2:14-15
How does complaining and grumbling affect your heart? You cannot complain and be grateful at the same time.
Paul’s words recall the wilderness generation of Israel, described as a crooked and twisted generation that shone like lights, as in Daniel 12:2-3.
We do not shine God’s light when we complain, even about the most minor thing. That complaining spirit puts us in a bad mood, and no one wants to be near us.
In the moments when we feel like complaining, let’s instead say something we are grateful for.
“Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things,” Deuteronomy 28:47
Deuteronomy is the final book in the Pentateuch and contains Moses’s last sermons about The Israelite’s future.
The sermon encourages obedience by consistently reassuring them of God’s faithfulness and power to keep His promises.
Chapter 28 describes the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience.
As we serve and put others first, we live examples of gratitude. We are obeying God and will receive His blessings.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
How can you thank God for His faithfulness? God’s faithfulness is a commitment on His part, as dependable as the rising of the sun and moon each day.
When you wake up in the morning, God is there. When family and friends disappoint, or your heroes fail to meet your expectations, God is ever faithful.
Faithfulness means “certainty” and “dependability,” describing who God is. No matter what we do, God cannot be unfaithful because he cannot deny himself. He is steadfast and trustworthy and always keeps his promises.
Even if we are unaware, God’s presence is always near. We experience his faithfulness in his protection and mercy, preservation, love, and discipline, revealed to us in all his Promises.
We find comfort and encouragement in experiencing God’s faithfulness in our lives.
“For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace that you have been saved. How amazing is that?
God’s favor on those who have broken His law and sinned against Him. He gives grace and secures our salvation. Grace cannot be earned. It is a gift that God gives to each one of us.
Through faith, we have confidence and reliance upon Jesus to accept this gift.
Faith is not itself a work that somehow merits salvation. Instead, it is a response of trust, stimulated by the Holy Spirit, that leads to salvation.
God’s purpose in making salvation a gift is to eliminate any possibility of people boasting about their efforts.
Give God thanks for your salvation.
“But godliness with contentment is great gain,” 1 Timothy 6:6
The opposite of greed is contentment, which means being satisfied with food and material goods.
Watch for when you feel discontent throughout your day. Whenever we feel discontented, we stop relying on God and try to do things of our own will and strength.
However, true contentment comes when we focus on being grateful and relying on God for all our needs.
As I close today, I want to reflect on these seven thoughts of gratitude, even when you don’t feel like it.
The impact of gratefulness on others. Gratefulness in small things. Guarding against a complaining spirit. Gratitude in obedience, recognizing God’s faithfulness. Thankfulness for salvation. And a grateful heart is a content heart.
Each of these thoughts helps us find ways to be grateful. Our world is wild right now, and we often focus on the bad news.
If we took a few moments each day to think about the good in our lives and say, “Thank you, Lord,” we would have a better day.
I hope you’ve checked out my gratitude journal and used it to help you cultivate a heart of thankfulness.
I have one more post in this series. Look for it next week.
2nd Corinthians: 9. 6- 15
Luke 16: 1- 13
Deuteronomy 35: 5
Daniel, 12:2- 3
Deuteronomy 28.
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2CO.9.11
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/LUK.16.10
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PHP.2.14-15
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/DEU.28.47
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/LAM.3.22-23
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EPH.2.8
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1TI.6.6
