An Attitude of Gratitude: Part 1 – In All Circumstances

This Sunday, Simon Lace brings us the talk in the latest of our EBC services. We encourage you to reflect on the bible text and join us in the prayer that follows below.
 
The talk will be available clicking here from 10am on Sunday 13th March.
 
Once you have listened, here are some questions to consider:
 
Readings:

1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verses 12 to 18

Dear brothers and sisters, honour those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.



Prayer & Reflection
 
Loving God, thank you for this church family, thank you for all the many, many blessings that you have chosen to bestow upon us. Help us O God never to take for granted the great and wonderful gifts You have given and You give to us each day.

Lord I thank you for these Your people, and those not with us today. Father, You know our every need and every desire. Please would You by Your Spirit, make us and make us known as a people of thanksgiving – a grateful people, a prayerful people and a joyful people.

We bring to You those things that are weighing us down Lord and we ask You to be tender and merciful to us in the things You already know all about. Release us Lord, into joy and thanksgiving as it pleases You to answer our prayers howsoever You will. In Jesus’ name we have prayed.

Amen.



 Questions to Consider
1) When did you last thank God for something? What was it?
2) What circumstances are weighing you down at the moment? Is there anything in the circumstances that you can look upon as a positive? Can you thank God for the positive aspects?
3) What would you count as the greatest blessings in your life, personally? Try literally counting your blessings and see how far you get before giving up!
4) What do you make of the idea that joy, thanksgiving and prayer are all interlinked? Explore the relationship between these three things in your own reflections or with friends.
5) In your prayer times, do you routinely include thanking God? When and how much, does gratitude feature in your conversations with God?
6) What would you like to thank God for just now?
7) As you look back into difficult times in the past, can you see – with the benefit of hindsight – how those times also helped form you into the person you are today?