Gaining Gratitude
Pastor Ben Johnson - November 2, 2025
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) – Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Gratitude GROWS in GRIEF and in GREATNESS.
Teaching Scripture
Luke 17:11-19 (NLT) – As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”
A thankful heart starts with seeing God’s goodness CLEARLY. Gratitude doesn’t come NATURALLY; it grows when we choose to focus on God’s FAITHFULNESS instead of our FRUSTRATIONS.
Gaining Gratitude
1. What I FOCUS on most will FRAME everything else.
Proverbs 23:7 (KJV) – For as he thinks in his heart, so is he...
2. What I CHOOSE to celebrate I ACTIVATE.
Psalm 118:24 (NLT) – This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
3. What I SHARE publicly will SHAPE me privately.
Psalm 100:4 (NLT) – Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
Where gratitude GROWS, joy and contentment FLOW.
Life Group Discussion & Questions
BREAKING THE ICE:
What’s something small you’re thankful for this week that you might normally overlook?
DIGGING IN:
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Luke 17:11–19 together.
1. When have you noticed God’s hand at work in your life, even in the middle of a hard season?
2. How do you choose to celebrate or express thankfulness, and how does that affect your daily life?
3. Who could you encourage this week by sharing what you’re thankful for, and how might that change both of your hearts?
4. How have you seen other people’s thankfulness inspire or challenge your own heart, and what can we learn from each other about living gratefully?
BRINGING IT HOME:
Gratitude isn’t just a feeling, it’s a choice, a practice, and a perspective. It begins when we see God’s goodness clearly and focus on him. Like the one leper who returned to thank Jesus, our hearts are healed and strengthened when we pause, give thanks, and share that gratitude with others. For where gratitude grows, joy and contentment flow. How have you seen this to be true in your life? Share one thing you’re thankful for today and pray together, thanking God for His faithfulness.