An Attitude of Gratitude

Gary Minnick

Midland SDA Church

January 2, 2021

The year 2020 has been for some a bad dream we had hope to wake up from. For each of us living in any part of the world or in just in our part COVID-19 has been a phrase that we are tired of. It has affected so many lives around the world.

United States COVID-19 Cases Reported to the CDC since January 21, 2020

TOTAL CASES  19,701,464 +145,959 New Cases

CASES IN LAST 7 DAYS 1,265,500    TOTAL DEATHS--  345,610

Michigan.528,621 cases  deaths 13,018     Midland county 3,486  deaths 44

As of Thursday, Michigan’s seven-day average of new cases is now 2,602, a 21% drop from 3,311 a week ago today.

A close second to the medical term COVID-19, is the phrase “social distancing.” Some stores have turned their aisles into one ways. Both terms have attempted to break the eighth commandment, “thou shalt not steal”. (Exodus 20:15 KJV) Steal what, you ask?

For some, these terms have attempted to rob the world’s joy, laughter, peace, and a sense of gratitude. Some churches have been closed, then re-open and in our case closed again to in person worship to stop the spread of the virus. If there was a way for your joy to return, would you be open to it? Robert Emmons, Ph.D.

 a preeminent scholar on the study of gratitude, shares interesting facts about gratitude. Emmons says, “grateful thinking and grateful moods help us sleep longer and longer.” In one study, people who kept a gratitude journal slept 30 minutes more compared to those who didn’t practice gratitude.”

In addition to modern psychology, we have a foundation in the Word of God that offers us reasons to be grateful in times of difficulty. I Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV) says, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

  How Can We Give Thanks in All Things? - Christianity.com Oct 30, 2020

· It helps to remember we are being asked not to give thanks “for everything” but “in everything.” This is an important distinction. It’s not that we are asked to be thankful for a disease or calamity but rather that, while we are experiencing a difficult circumstance, it is important to have a grateful and positive heart that thanks God for life or other blessings in spite of our present situation.

” For most people this is very hard to do because of the emotions within us. Not fully understanding why our loved one caught the virus and thousands have passed away and couldn’t even have a funeral.

where was God when someone’s loved one was dying and they were praying so earnestly for help? It reminds me of the account of Lazarus in John 11³² Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” She was blaming God.

³³ Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. ³⁴ And He said, “Where have you laid him?”

They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”³⁵ Jesus wept. ³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”³⁷ And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus loved Lazarus and His sisters, and before Lazarus died, they couldn’t understand why Jesus did not answering their prayer request and had come immediately.  Instead, Lazarus had been dead for four days before He arrived at Bethany. He even had human feelings of sadness that we have experience. Heb. 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

We already have experience over 1,000 a day dying.  First line workers are giving way beyond there means. Hospitals are over flowing. Wearing a mask is the normal now. We feel very sad for small business owners, which a lot of will be going out of business with no income coming in.

While Paul’s words to the church in Thessalonica are true, “In everything give thanks”

they can be difficult to apply. How can we have an attitude of gratitude even during this this pandemic?  Rom. 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

 And another bible verse Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. While my wife was dying and hundreds of people were praying for healing, I had to trust in the Lord with all my heart.

That is what many people today have to believe in faith that God is with them. One day we will fully understand why God permitted bad things to happen because of Satan.

Sometimes it may seem like God is leading us down the wrong path and may become very discouraged. We have to surrender to His will be done not ours. We need to be patience and have the faith in God that He will work things out according to His plans.

As Aaron mention in his sermon last week, we need to keep our eyes focus on Jesus. And be not like Peter who took his eyes off Christ and started to sink. Like Peter we always have Christ to call on.

We Are Not Alone Matthew 5:45 (NKJV) says, “it rains on the just and the unjust.” All around the world people are seeking the Savior and praying for healing, deliverance and strength.

Throughout this pandemic, angels of mercy reveal themselves in human form (Hebrews 13:2 ² Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.) Angels are here to assist, comfort, and encourage.

From my own experience from working in the Tony and Trish hospice house I have experience this first hand. Not only from angles of mercy giving compassion to my wife and the other guest but experience the Lord working through me in reaching out to those in need.

 It is possible your self to experience this if you are willing. I learned a lot from Joe Ellen and Stephanie two of the main people there who showed me what compassion is all about. Families have been blessed by their loving tender mercy.

Has a stranger ever come out of no where and helped you out? I was hauling by son’s snowmobile trailer to Detroit. And in Freeland by the light, as I turned the corner the trailer came un hooked because I had the wrong size ball on the hitch. And There I was stopped not able to do much. I didn’t have the tools to change the ball which I did have in the back of the van.

Out of nowhere, two men appeared and started helping me out. One of them had the tools needed and changed the ball. They both hooked the trailer up. One of them then left with out my seeing him leave. But the other one said that he would follow me to where I would be turning onto a different road. Which he did. I never saw them again, but I believe that they were angles of mercy.

It is possible we could be accomplishing Jesus’ desire written in John 17 for his disciples to be one as we pray throughout this pandemic.

2. Inner Renewal is Happening 2 Corinthians 4:16 (NIV) says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

While COVID-19 has caused local and global separation, I personally have experienced opportunities for personal renewal. I have spent more time in prayer, reading and studying. I have completed some projects around the house and been blessed to spend more time with God.

I have experienced a closer relationship with God. It is important for us to take advantage of these precious moments. I am sure you have also grown personally and more spiritually too. Some times like Paul on the road to Damascus where he was knocked down by that bright light.  Now I’m not saying that we need that, but sometimes we may need a wakeup call.

 When we are so busy doing other things that when we don’t have time for Jesus then there is something terrible wrong and we had better straighten this out. It isn’t just good enough to call on the Lord for help when we are in trouble, but to experience the joy having the peace of God in our lives everyday so that when we face difficult times, we know we have a God that we can lean on for strength

 Psalm 56:8 “God knows first hand what pain is. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” While being pursued by his enemies, David had the wisdom to write these words.

Many are asking” Why is God letting this covet 19 happening and so many are dying every day.” All around the world. We have to remember that God is a God of love and He can feel the pain that many are going through.  

Even in the middle of a pandemic, God has showered His people with opportunities for gratitude. It’s true that Satan has caused much sickness and death, but yet maybe some families have turned back to each other stronger than before.  Many times, we take things for granted and can’t understand when they don’t. The only thing that doesn’t change is God.  Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Or Malachi 3:6 “For I the Lord do not change.”

We should be growing in our Christian walk. Yes, we can support each other, which is good, but at the same time we need our daily bread from heaven.

3. God is Familiar with Our Pain Isaiah 53:3 (KJV) says, “he is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” It would be hard for me to believe in a God who could not understand what it is like to be human. With all the funerals, memorials, deaths, and sicknesses, it is comforting to know God understands my grief.

Separated from family and friends, even in the moments of despair, God cares for you. He knows what it is like to be separated from His father.  Matthew 27: ⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

He also knows what it is like to die leaving His family. I am grateful there is a God who identifies with the pain that is present in our hearts today

.4. Our Voices are Heard in heaven Isaiah 65:24 (NKJV) says, “Before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” In times of challenge, God wants to hear us. In times of joy, God wants to celebrate with us. There is no time in your life that your prayers are insignificant to God. Ellen White says, “By your fervent prayers of faith you can move the arm that moves the world. (Prayer P.86).

 5. Victory is Just Around the Corner We will not always have COVID-19 nor be socially distanced. Have you ever experienced a bad storm causing a lot of damage for a short while, then after the storm the sun and blue sky appear?

Could that be God’s way of saying I am still with you. You may have some cloudy days in your life, but remember the sun will come back.

But even better than that is when that small cloud appears in the sky. Jesus will be in that cloud with thousands of angels. It will appear small starting out, but it will get brighter and bigger as it moves down to earth.

All the righteous people who have died will be resurrected; they will meet Jesus in that cloud.

Revelation 21:3 (KJV) says, “and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

I look forward to the day when we will never part again. Very soon, suffering will be a word forever deleted from the dictionary of the universe. I am so grateful that victory is in the grasp of the believer.

 While an attitude of gratitude may not always be easy, it can be accomplished. I invite you to keep a gratitude journal and write down at least three things that were good in your day.

 Write down your dreams for your future, or answers to prayer. In being grateful, we not only find ways to be connected to others, but to ourselves, our community, and most importantly, to our amazing and caring God.

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus

He came to love, heal and forgive

He lived and died to buy my pardon

An empty grave is there to prove my savior lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth the living, just because He lives

How sweet to hold a newborn baby

And feel the pride and joy He gives

But greater still the calm assurance

This child can face uncertain day, because He lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth the living, just because He lives

And then one day, I'll cross the river

I'll fight life's final war with pain

And then, as death gives way to victory

I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He reigns

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth the living, just because He lives