"Jesus, after giving thanks..."
In today's sermon, Pastor Mike Acock teaches on gratitude. Jesus' lifestyle was thanksgiving. He gave thanks for what was. Jesus gave thanks before feeding the 5,000, and he gave thanks for hiding things from the wise. Jesus even thanked the Father BEFORE he raised raising Lazarus from the dead. There was a relationship between him and Father so that Jesus knew he was being heard. Jesus also thanked the Father at the Last Supper knowing he would soon suffer a horrendous death; he was thankful to do the Father's will. Giving thanks precedes the miracle.
The anatomy of gratitude is about living wholeheartedly, and surprise or wonder teaches us that everything is a gift. Our intellect recognizes the gift. Our will acknowledges the gift. Our emotions appreciate the gift.
Pastor Mike lists 7 barriers to gratitude:
- Your focus is on the lack of provision.
- Your focus is on the problem as a wall verse a hill.
- Your focus is on you as the source of the solution.
- Your focus is on the fear of making a mistake.
- Your focus is on the past being better than you can imagine the future.
- Your focus is on your pain and you are choosing to remain the victim.
- Your focus is on your comfort over compassion for others.
These are things that can keep us from being grateful, but Mike also gives us examples of what thankfulness looks like. With prayers, scriptures, and statements focused on thanksgiving, we get a taste of what it looks like to practice gratitude. Pastor Mike encourages us to ask God for eyes to see a gift in every situation, and he also encourages us to journal unexpected gifts we find in everyday life.
When you begin to see the provision no matter how small or large, you become the miracle. You begin to see relationship in lieu of problem-solving, and you begin to see God's Lordship over your obstacle and the gift you will receive in going through it. You begin to see open gates to the presence of the Lord (Psalm 100: 4-5).
When you're living a life of gratitude, you being to see the future as possibility and destiny. You begin to see God can be trusted to order your steps, and you begin to see how your internal state of being in Christ is to be brought to bear on your circumstances.
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