Sermon Tone Analysis

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

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THANKSGIVING MESSAGE #1: DEVELOPING A GRATEFUL HEART

MAIN IDEA

Just like the acquisition of most virtues, you can’t instantly become thankful.

You only become thankful when you habitually practice gratitude in your life.

How many of you believe in this truth?

How easy is it for us to remember this in a time of need/pain/hurt/sickness?

VERSES

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

As we approach thanksgiving I want for us to take a look at developing a grateful heart.

It’s very difficult to give thanks to the Lord, and to believe that he is good when we don’t build habits and practice gratitude in our lives daily.

Research shows that our thoughts have the power to shape our brains.

The more conscious we are about perceiving an experience as being positive the more this perception will generalize to other parts of the brain.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

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Rick Hanson explains that negative experiences are like "Velcro" and tend to stick in our minds, whereas positive experiences are like "Teflon" and more readily slip away.

We must actively work to integrate positive experiences into the brain in order for the positive to "stick" and the beneficial effects to endure.

The question remains, "How do we do this?"

1. Regularly practice giving thanks

We should make a habit of expressing gratitude.