Sermon Info
Summary
Cultivating a life of gratitude in a world that is fast-paced, filled with instant gratification, more division than ever before, and uncertainty can be difficult – especially when there is suffering. The Apostle Paul reminds us that even in the midst of suffering we can celebrate the goodness of God. When we know Jesus personally, experience His radical grace, and view life through the lens of eternity, it changes our perspective and allows us to see purpose, even in the pain.
Content
God's Goodness in Others
Have you known someone walking through an extremely difficult situation – a terminal illness, the loss of a loved one, a devastating disaster – yet is incredibly, even miraculously, thankful? Uncertainty and suffering has the power to deeply affect us and potentially propel us into a dark place. With Christ, however, and our recognition of His grace, His purpose in the pain, and our eternal home, we can have a heart of gratitude, no matter what tomorrow may bring.
God is working, even in the middle of your suffering. He is able, even in the most seemingly hopeless prognosis. He is sovereign, even when our trials tempt us to lose control. We can be thankful in all things.
What the Bible Says in 1 Thessalonians 2
In the midst of uncertainty and suffering, we are called to live in thankfulness and gratitude. And that starts with knowing Jesus personally. The Gospel is personal – it’s the story of Jesus coming to earth for each one of us. It’s the story of Jesus living a perfect life and dying a sinner’s death – for you and for me. That’s personal. So, when we know Jesus and the Gospel, how we share the Gospel, therefore, becomes personal. Consequently, whatever we face, whether it be persecution, loss, or a trial, we can, like Paul, share of the Gospel of Jesus with others: with the help of our God we dared to tell you His gospel in the face of strong opposition (1 Thessalonians 2:2).
Secondly, gratitude comes at all times when we have experienced God’s undeserved grace. His grace changes our perspective and allows us to be thankful in any and every situation. Along with that, a heart of thankfulness, too, comes when we trade the temporary for the eternal. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ (Philippians 3:7). The things of this world can be considered loss when we know Christ, His grace, and where our eternal home is.
Lastly, we must know and recognize that suffering has a purpose. If we believe that God is good at all times, which we do, and if we trust that His plans for us are good, which we do, then we can trust that what happens in our lives has a purpose, whether it’s something we hoped for or whether it’s something that is our worst fear. He has a purpose, even in the pain – and in our weakness, His power will be made perfect in us (1 Corinthians 12:9).
Cultivating Gratitude – Where to Start Today
Our American culture is fast-paced, driven by success and image, and expects what we want when we want it. So, when things don’t go our way, it’s normal to become pessimistic or negative, questioning why “bad” things happen to “good” people. However, as God’s Word consistently tells us, the Christian life is one that stands in complete opposition with the standards of our culture, just as Jesus stood in opposition to the people around Him in His time here on earth.
That is why when hardship hits, we can choose to be grateful and have a heart filled with grace and peace. This in no way minimizes the trial you may be facing or infers that the outcome will turn out as you’re praying it will. Rather, it means that, because of Jesus and our faith in Him, we can take heart, and we can see the purpose for the pain and loss we may be feeling today.
His grace is sufficient for us, His goodness is constant and never failing, and His mercies are new every morning. On that we can stand and build our lives.
