Summary of this week's sermon
Every week we want to have a 5 day devotional recapping our previous sermon so we can grow deeper together.
This Sunday Pastor Scott began our new series for November entitled, "THX." Join us as we focus on a life of thanksgiving.
Day 1:The Gratitude Gap
Devotional
We live in a world overflowing with blessings, yet genuine thankfulness seems to be disappearing. Studies show that only 33% of people feel grateful daily. How is this possible when we have more conveniences, opportunities, and comforts than any generation before us? The answer lies in our approach to gratitude itself. We've created a dangerous pattern of conditional thankfulness - we're grateful when things go our way, when we get what we want, when life feels manageable. But what happens when the promotion doesn't come? When the diagnosis is scary? When relationships crumble? This conditional gratitude reveals that we've attached our thankfulness to our blessings rather than to the One who blesses. It's like being grateful for the gift while ignoring the giver. When our gratitude depends on our circumstances, it becomes as unstable as our ever-changing situations. God calls us to something radically different. Biblical thankfulness isn't a feeling that comes and goes with our fortunes - it's a choice we make regardless of what's happening around us. It's rooted not in what we receive, but in who God is: faithful, loving, sovereign, and good. Today, let's begin shifting our perspective. Instead of waiting for the perfect circumstances to feel grateful, let's choose to acknowledge God's unchanging character. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever - worthy of our thanks not because of what He gives us, but because of who He is.
Bible Verse
'Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.' - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Reflection Question
What specific blessings have you been taking for granted, and how might your gratitude change if you focused on God's character rather than just His gifts?
Quote
I think the issue with thankfulness has a lot to do with us attaching our thankfulness to our blessing just like the survey did, instead of attaching it to the blesser.
Prayer
Father, forgive me for making my thankfulness conditional on my circumstances. Help me to see You clearly - Your faithfulness, Your love, Your sovereignty - and let my gratitude flow from who You are, not just what You do for me. Amen.
Day 2: In, Not For
Devotional
There's a world of difference between being thankful in our circumstances and being thankful for our circumstances. This distinction isn't just theological hair-splitting - it's the key to maintaining faith when life gets hard. Being thankful for everything that happens would mean celebrating cancer diagnoses, job losses, and broken relationships. That's not biblical; that's denial. God never asks us to pretend that pain doesn't hurt or that injustice is good. He acknowledges that in this world we will have trouble. But being thankful in all circumstances? That's different. That means we can acknowledge the reality of our pain while simultaneously choosing to trust that God is bigger than our situation. We can grieve and give thanks at the same time. We can feel overwhelmed and still believe God is in control. This kind of gratitude doesn't minimize our emotions or dismiss our struggles. Instead, it provides an anchor in the storm. When we're thankful in our circumstances, we're declaring that our God is sovereign over every situation, that His love for us doesn't waver based on our comfort level, and that His purposes are being worked out even when we can't see how. This perspective transforms how we face difficulties. Instead of asking "Why me?" we can ask "How will You use this, God?" Instead of demanding answers, we can choose trust. This doesn't make the pain go away, but it gives it meaning and hope.
Bible Verse
'Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.' - James 1:2-4
Reflection Question
What current difficulty in your life could become an opportunity to practice being thankful 'in' rather than 'for' your circumstances?
Quote
We are commanded to be thankful in all circumstances, not for all circumstances.
Prayer
Lord, help me to distinguish between acknowledging my pain and losing sight of Your goodness. Teach me to be honest about my struggles while remaining anchored in Your sovereignty and love. Amen.
Day 3: Valley Growth
Devotional
We all dream of living on the mountaintop - those seasons when everything goes right, when blessings flow freely, and when faith feels easy. But here's a truth that might surprise you: nothing grows on a mountaintop. The soil is too thin, the conditions too harsh. Real growth happens in the valleys. The valleys of life - those difficult seasons of loss, disappointment, and struggle - are where our faith develops depth and strength. It's in these low places where we learn to depend on God rather than our circumstances, where we discover His faithfulness in new ways, and where our character is refined. Think about it: when everything is going perfectly, do you pray as fervently? Do you seek God as desperately? Do you lean on His promises as completely? Probably not. It's human nature to become self-reliant when life is comfortable. But in the valleys, we have no choice but to look up. This doesn't mean God causes our pain, but He certainly uses it. Every difficulty becomes an opportunity for Him to chisel away anything in us that isn't helping us become more like Christ. The pressure that feels like it might break us is actually the force that shapes us into who He's calling us to be. When you find yourself in a valley season, remember that this is where the real growth happens. This is where your roots go deeper, where your faith becomes unshakeable, and where you discover that God's grace truly is sufficient for every need.
Bible Verse
'Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.' - Romans 5:3-5
Reflection Question
Looking back on your life, what growth or strength did you gain during a difficult 'valley' season that you wouldn't have developed on the 'mountaintop'?
Quote
We all want to live on the mountaintop of God's blessing. But newsflash, nothing grows on a mountaintop. Where does it grow? In the valley in the moment where you and I would struggle to be thankful.
Prayer
God, when I'm in the valley, help me remember that this is where You do Your deepest work in my heart. Give me patience with the process and trust in Your purpose, even when I can't see the growth happening. Amen.
Day 4: Shifting Focus
Devotional
Joseph had every reason to be bitter. Sold into slavery by his own brothers, falsely accused by his master's wife, forgotten in prison for years - his life read like a series of injustices. Yet when he finally had the chance to confront those who had wronged him, his perspective was radically different than we might expect. "You intended to harm me," he told his brothers, "but God intended it for good." Joseph had learned something profound during his years of suffering: where we focus determines how we feel and what we become. Most of us struggle with thankfulness because we can't take our eyes off the problem. We replay the hurt, rehearse the injustice, and ruminate on what went wrong. But Joseph chose to focus on God's sovereignty and purpose instead of his circumstances. This shift in focus didn't erase his pain, but it transformed his perspective. When we're living "in Christ," our focus naturally shifts from our situation to our Savior. We begin to see our problems not as derailments of our perfectly scripted plan, but as opportunities for God to work in ways we never imagined. We start to trust that the same God who worked through Joseph's suffering for the saving of many lives is working through our difficulties for purposes we may not yet understand. This kind of focus requires intentional choice. Every day, we must decide whether to fix our eyes on our problems or on our God. The problems are real, but God is bigger.
Bible Verse
'You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.' - Genesis 50:20
Reflection Question
What problem or difficulty in your life has been consuming your focus, and how might your perspective change if you chose to focus on God's sovereignty instead?
Quote
You want to know why most of us struggle to be thankful in our circumstances? Because we can't take our eyes off the problem.
Prayer
Father, help me to shift my focus from my problems to Your purposes. When I'm tempted to fixate on what's going wrong, remind me to look for how You might be working for good, even in difficult circumstances. Amen.
Day 5: Faith or Circumstances
Devotional
Here's a question that cuts to the heart of our spiritual lives: Is your faith in Jesus, or is it in your circumstances? The answer reveals whether your relationship with God will weather life's inevitable storms. Too many people walk away from their faith when life gets hard, not because they've lost faith in Jesus, but because their faith was never really in Jesus to begin with. It was in their situation, their comfort, their plans working out perfectly. When those things crumbled, so did their faith. But true faith is anchored in who God is, not in what He does for us. It's rooted in His character - His love, faithfulness, and sovereignty - rather than in our changing circumstances. This kind of faith can withstand any storm because it's built on the solid rock of God's unchanging nature. God's plan isn't to make you happy in this life; it's to make you holy. He's more concerned with your eternal character than your temporary comfort. This perspective changes everything. When we understand that difficulties are tools in God's hands to shape us into Christ's likeness, we can find purpose in our pain and meaning in our struggles. For the believer, earth is as bad as it will ever get. This isn't our final destination; it's our training ground. Every trial, every hardship, every moment of suffering is preparing us for an eternity where there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more death. That hope changes how we face today's troubles. Your faith will be tested. The question is: what will it reveal about where your trust truly lies?
Bible Verse
'Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.' - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Reflection Question
If you lost everything you currently consider important - health, relationships, financial security - would your faith in God remain strong, or would it be shaken?
Quote
God's plan is not to make sure you are happy in this life. It is to make you holy in this life.
Prayer
Lord, examine my heart and reveal where my faith truly lies. Help me to anchor my trust in You alone, not in my circumstances. Strengthen my faith so that it remains unshakeable regardless of what storms may come. Amen.