Notes
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV)
Paul compares the Christian life to a race, one that requires discipline and self-control. Athletes don’t win by accident; they train their bodies. In the same way, fasting is not a hunger strike, a diet, or a form of punishment. Fasting is discipline–choosing to bring the desires of our flesh under the authority of the Spirit.
One of the strongest ways to grow in our faith is gratitude. Fasting quiets our flesh so gratitude can rise in us. Gratitude shifts our focus away from scarcity (what we lack, what we wish were different, what others have that we don’t) and reminds us that God is Lord over both our weaknesses and our strengths.
1) Gratitude Is a Way of Life
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 (ESV)
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
Psalm 100:4 (ESV)
Gratitude means asking questions like: where has God brought me from? What chains has He broken? What lessons has He taught me? How has He shown Himself faithful? When we recognize these things, joy rises. Gratitude becomes the lens through which we see every season; we wake up every day with joy in our hearts because of who God is and what He has done for us. Spiritual growth starts inside hearts that recognize the many ways God has blessed us.
2) Gratitude Fuels Spiritual Growth
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:45 (ESV)
Whatever fills our hearts will eventually show up in our words, our actions, and our relationships. Gratitude fills us with the goodness of God so that His goodness comes out of us.
When we rely on people, circumstances, or accomplishments as the source of our joy, we place a weight on them they were never meant to carry. Gratitude reminds us that God alone is our joy.
3) Gratitude Knows God Is Worthy
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
Psalm 145:3 (ESV)
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
Psalm 18:3 (ESV)
For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Hebrews 13:14-15 (ESV)
Gratitude remembers that God is worthy of praise no matter what we face. Even when life is painful and prayers seem unanswered, gratitude looks back and recognizes God’s faithfulness–the ways He’s rescued, sustained, forgiven, and transformed us. We may not understand everything we’ve been through, but we can remember where God has brought us from and how His grace has carried us. Gratitude keeps our hearts soft, points our eyes back to Jesus, and reminds us that every breath, every blessing, and every bit of redemption is a gift of His mercy.
Group Questions
- What is one thing God has brought you from that you need to thank Him for today?
- How does fasting help reveal whether your heart is operating from scarcity or gratitude?
- What “voices” (people, emotions, circumstances) have too much power over your joy?
- What is one practical way you can practice gratitude this week to strengthen your spirit?
Prayer
Teach us to live with grateful hearts. Help us bring our flesh under your authority and fill our lives with praise. May gratitude shape our thoughts, our words, and our walk with you.