November 10, 2026
This week we studied Colossians 1:3-14 & 3:12-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Philippians 1:3-30, and Ephesians 1:15-23.
What is gratitude?
It’s really easy when life is going well. You get a new job, or a promotion at work. You find a $100 bill in your jacket pocket. Your family is doing well and gets to go on a vacation together. You get a better grade on your midterm than you expected. You get accepted into your top school.
It’s very easy to find things to be grateful for in those moments, but what about when life just sucks? You get fired. You get a flat tire on your way to work. Your grandpa is in the hospital. You have a falling out with your best friend. You’re struggling with depression. Your relative passes away unexpectedly.
Where is gratitude in those moments? Are we to pretend that nothing is wrong and say that we’re grateful for the good weather? The Bible says over and over to be joyful and thankful in all things, but this doesn’t mean that our gratefulness must be shallow or disingenuous.
Let’s talk about the apostle Paul for a second.
Born Saul, and lived and worked during the time of Jesus living on earth.
Studied under Gamaliel (a Pharisee and teacher of the Law), and was present when Stephen was stoned to death (the first christian martyr).
His job was to find, arrest, and kill people who followed Jesus.
Had a crazy encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and his whole life was changed.
God changes his name to Paul and sends him on 4 major missions trips all over to share with people the good news of Jesus.
Writes many letters that become 13 books in the New Testament. (Galatians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, Philemon, Colossians, Philippians, 1&2 Timothy, and Titus).
He is jailed many times, mocked, ridiculed, chased out of town, abused, shipwrecked, and eventually killed (most likely beheaded at the age of 56).
This was not a man who lived an easy life. Yet, he constantly wrote about being thankful. Why? How?
Questions:
What sticks out to you?
What is Paul constantly being thankful for? What is he encouraging his letter recipients to be thankful for?
What is your relationship with gratitude and thankfulness?
How do you want your attitude about gratitude to change?
Gratitude is hard when life is hard. How can we practically find genuine gratefulness in those times?
How are you grateful for God? What has God done in your life that you can cling to when life is difficult?
Do you think gratefulness eliminates difficult things? Why or why not?
When our heart is not in the mood to be thankful, how can you still worship God in the midst of that? (worship = singing, prayer, reading the Bible, etc.)
Read Psalm 107.
What sticks out to you?
Be honest. Is this Psalm comforting to you when you read it?
How can you make this your prayer this week?
