Episode 9: Thankful | Living a LIfe of Gratitude

There is a difference between saying “thank you” and living a life of gratitude.

In this episode of Planted in Purpose: A Kingdom Building Podcast, Sheri D. Neely leads a powerful and timely conversation on what it truly means to cultivate a heart of gratitude, not as a reaction to circumstances, but as a consistent posture before God.

Building on the foundation of forgiveness from the previous episode, this message invites you into the next level of spiritual alignment: replacing what has been released with intentional thanksgiving.

Through Scripture, thoughtful word study, and personal reflection, Sheri unpacks how gratitude:

• anchors your relationship with God 
• transforms your prayer life from routine to reverent 
• shifts your perspective in every season 
• strengthens your faith through testimony 
• and extends beyond God into how you honor others 

This episode speaks directly to the woman who carries much—the mother, the wife, the leader, the caregiver, the entrepreneur—the one who shows up for everyone else, yet rarely pauses to sit in God’s presence with intentional gratitude.

With clarity and conviction, you’ll be challenged to move beyond quick acknowledgments and into a deeper, more meaningful expression of thanksgiving—one that includes your worship, your words, and your witness.

Because gratitude is not just something you say…
 it is how you approach God.

Key Scriptures:
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
Psalm 100:4
Philippians 4:6
Psalm 107:2
Romans 13:7

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:11

There are times when we go to God and we ask, and we ask again, and then we ask for something else. God, I need this. God, fix this. God, do this for me. But how often do we just say thank you? Last week we talked about forgiveness. We talked about releasing what we've been carrying, letting go of hurt, letting go of offense, and choosing to forgive because we've been forgiven. But this week we're shifting because once you release, something else has to take its place. And that something is gratitude. Not just saying thank you, but becoming a person who lives a life of thankfulness. Gratitude is not just something we say, it's how we approach God. And I want to pause right here and speak directly to you, to the woman who is caring a lot, to the mother, to the wife, to the one who is working, serving, building, to the woman who shows up for everyone else, but rarely slows down for herself. You may not even realize it, but you've been moving so fast that you haven't taken the time to just sit with God and say thank you. Welcome to Planted in Purpose, a kingdom-building podcast. I'm your host, Sherry Neely. This podcast is rooted in truth, grounded in the Word of God, and based on Psalm chapter 1, verse 3, and Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10, and designed to help you walk fully in the purpose He has for your life. And today we are talking about gratitude. Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 16 through 18 to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. The phrase give thanks comes from a word that means to be grateful. It's not talking about a quick response. It means to actively express gratitude, to acknowledge goodness, to recognize what has been done. This is not passive. This is intentional. This is a posture. And notice it says in all circumstances, not for everything, but in everything. That means gratitude is not based on outcomes. It's based on who God is. Because if your gratitude is based on what happens, it will be inconsistent. But when your gratitude is based on who God is, it becomes steady. God is good. Whether the situation feels good or not, and when that truth settles in your heart, gratitude becomes natural. Gratitude is not a reaction, it's a decision. The psalmist, the author of Psalm chapter one hundred, traditionally attributed to King David, who is expressing a call to worship and gratitude. In verse four, he declares, Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him. Bless his name. The word enter means to approach, to come into, to move into his presence. But the instruction is clear. You don't come any kind of way, you come with thanksgiving. That means gratitude is not optional, it is the doorway. Some people are trying to experience God deeply without approaching Him correctly. But scripture is clear, you enter with thanksgiving. Because when you come in grateful, your perspective shifts. You stop focusing on what's missing. And you begin remembering what he's already done. And when you remember, your heart opens. That phrase with thanksgiving means gratitude must accompany your request, not follow it, not come after, accompany it. That means when you go to God, you don't lead with need, you lead with recognition. Before I ask, I acknowledge. Before I request, I remember. Because the truth is, God has already done enough. And sometimes we rush into his presence asking and rush out without ever thanking him. There was a time in my life where I was that person. I was that woman who, because of life and everything that comes with life, I didn't take the time to truly show God the gratitude he deserved. Now I would say thank you, but it was quick. Thank you, God. And then right after that, God, can you do this? Oh, thank you for that. Now, can you do this? And I didn't realize it, but I had developed a pattern, a pattern of receiving but not honoring, a pattern of acknowledging but not worshiping. Until I began to understand something deeper. God doesn't just want a quick thank you. He desires our best. And I began to think about the woman with the alabaster box. She didn't come casually, she didn't come rushed, she came with intention, she came with sacrifice, she came with her best. And she poured it out. And that's when it shifted for me. Gratitude is not just words. And I know I'm not the only one. There are women listening right now who love God deeply, but life has been full. You've been building, working, caring for others, showing up in your home, showing up in your church, showing up in your business. And somewhere in all of that, gratitude became quick instead of intentional. And today is not about guilt, it's about realignment. It's worship, it's time, it's attention, it's presence. And now there are moments where I stop everything. Sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes thirty minutes, and I just praise him. No asking, no requests, just worship. Sometimes it's in the morning while I'm making breakfast. Sometimes it's in the car on the way to drop my daughter off. Sometimes it's in my prayer time. But it's intentional now. Because when you understand who God is and what he's done, you come back. Just like the one who returned, you come back. In Luke chapter 17, ten were healed, but only one returned. That word returned means to turn back intentionally. Gratitude requires you to turn around. Don't just receive and keep walking. Come back. The psalmist in Psalm chapter 107, verse 2 wrote, Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy. Sisters, let's slow down here because this is more than a suggestion. Let the redeemed, that means people who have been delivered, restored, brought through, forgiven. If God has ever done anything for you, you are included in that of the Lord. Say so. That phrase, say so, means to declare, to speak, to make it known. So this is not silent gratitude. This is expressed gratitude. This is verbal. This is shared. Because when God moves in your life, it is not meant to stay private. And this is where many people miss it. We receive the blessing, but we don't return with the testimony. We experience the breakthrough, but we don't tell anyone what God did. And the danger in that is this: when you don't say what God has done, you slowly stop recognizing what He's doing. Gratitude fades when it is not expressed. Your testimony is not just your story, it is evidence of God's goodness. And it is also someone else's encouragement, someone else's confirmation, someone else's answer. Because there is someone right now praying for what you've already come out of. And when you speak, you strengthen their faith. And gratitude doesn't stop with God, it flows outward. The apostle Paul declares in Romans chapter 13, verse 7, to give honor to whom honor is due. Let's break that down. Give honor, that means to recognize, to respect, to acknowledge value, to whom honor is due. That means there are people in your life who deserve acknowledgement. People who supported you, prayed for you, showed up for you, poured into you, and sometimes we receive from people but never acknowledge them. Ladies, when was the last time you told someone, thank you for being there for me? When was the last time you acknowledge someone's impact on your life? Because gratitude that only goes upward but never outward is incomplete. If you struggle to show gratitude to people you can see, you will struggle to fully express gratitude to God you cannot see, because both require humility, awareness, and intentionality. Gratitude should flow in three directions: upward to God, outward to people, and forward through your testimony. And when all three are active, your life reflects a heart of true gratitude. So before we pray, I want you to think about this. What has God done for you that you haven't talked about? And who in your life have you not thanked? Because today we're not just receiving, we're responding. Right now, for some of you, this is not just about gratitude, this is about your relationship with God because it's hard to truly thank a God you don't know personally. If you've never given your life to Christ or you feel distant, this is your moment. So before we go any further, I want to give you an opportunity. If you've never given your life to Christ, or if you feel like you've drifted, this is your moment. Repeat after me, Lord Jesus, I come to you just as I am. I believe you died on the cross and rose again for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart. Be my Lord and Savior. I give my life to you. In Jesus' name. Amen. If you just prayed that prayer, welcome. This is where everything begins. And now, from that place of being forgiven, we're going to give thanks. Father, before we ask you for anything, we say thank you for everything. Thank you for who you are. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for the seen and unseen blessings, for the prayers you answered and the ones you protected us from. Thank you for every door you opened and every door you closed. Thank you for what you brought us through, even the things we did not understand. You were still working. Create in us a heart of gratitude. Teach us to come to you. Let gratitude become our lifestyle, not just our response, not just asking, but honoring you, worshiping you, thanking you. And let our lives reflect that gratitude in how we speak, in how we live, in how we treat others. In Jesus' name, amen. Woman of God, this week is for you. Not the version of you that is producing, not the version of you that is performing, but the version of you that just needs to be in God's presence. This week, I want you to do three things. Spend time thanking God, no request, just thanking. Write down 10 things He's done for you and share one testimony. Because for many of us, gratitude that stays silent is incomplete. If this episode blessed you, subscribe to our channel and share it with someone who needs it. You've been listening to Planted in Purpose, a kingdom building podcast with Sherry Neely. Until next time, stay rooted in God, stay planted in purpose, and trust the season he has you in the front.