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Gratitude That Overflows
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  • Have you ever met someone whose gratitude just spilled out of them?
    Not in a loud or dramatic way—but in the way they talked, served, gave, and treated people. Their thankfulness wasn’t just something they felt; it was something they lived.
    Most of the time, gratitude in our lives tends to stay quiet. We feel it for a moment, maybe whisper a quick “thank You, Lord,” and then move on. But when gratitude stays internal, it never transforms anything. It doesn’t change your attitude. It doesn’t change your relationships. And it certainly doesn’t change the world around you.
    But when gratitude overflows?
    When it becomes a way of life rather than a momentary feeling?
    That’s when it becomes powerful. That’s when it shows up as generosity, compassion, worship, and Christlike action.
    And this isn’t new. From the very beginning of the church, Christians were known for letting their gratitude move into action—especially in communities where the pressures were high and the culture around them was pulling them in a hundred different directions.
    That’s exactly what was happening in the ancient city of Colossae.
    Believers there were surrounded by false teachings, spiritual confusion, and cultural influences trying to distract them from Jesus. Paul writes into that environment with a strong reminder: if Christ is truly enough—if His peace rules your heart and His message fills your life—then gratitude shouldn’t stay inside. It should flow out of you.
    And with that context in mind, Paul gives them (and us) a clear picture of what overflowing gratitude looks like.
    Let’s look at what he says in Colossians 3:16–17
    Colossians 3:16–17 NIV
    16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
    This morning I want to give you three points that will show you how Gratitude can overflow from you.

    1. Gratitude Begins by Letting Christ’s Word Shape Your Heart

    Look at the first part of verse 16 again.
    Colossians 3:16 NIV
    16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly…
    When Paul says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” the word “dwell” is incredibly important.
    It doesn’t mean “visit occasionally” or “stop by when it’s convenient.”
    “Dwell” means to take up residence—to move in, unpack the bags, hang pictures on the wall, and make itself completely at home in your life.
    Think of the difference between a guest and someone who lives in your house:
    A guest stays in the spare room;
    Someone who dwells lives in every room.
    A guest is temporary.
    A resident influences the entire atmosphere.
    Paul is saying the Word of Christ cannot be a guest in your heart—something you pull out on Sundays or in emergencies.
    It must be the permanent resident, the internal authority that influences:
    how you think,
    how you respond,
    how you see people,
    how you make decisions,
    and ultimately how you live out gratitude.
    When the Word of God dwells—when it’s truly at home in you—it begins to shape everything within you.
    It becomes the lens through which you understand God’s goodness.
    And as the Word of God reveals Christ’s love, mercy, and generosity, it naturally produces a heart of thanksgiving.
    This is why gratitude must begin here:
    If God’s Word is not dwelling richly inside, gratitude won’t overflow outside.
    But when the Word is a resident—when Christ’s truth fills the heart—gratitude becomes the natural, daily response.

    2. Gratitude Flows Out Through Worship and Community

    Again, look at verse 16.
    Colossians 3:16 NIV
    16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
    How many of you like to sing? It doesn’t matter the types of songs, you just like to sing.
    Our house is a constant musical just waiting to break out. I love to sing and if you say something and a song pops into my head, I’m going to sing it.
    When you have a thankful heart, you can’t help but worship God.
    There is nothing wrong with listening to all kinds of music, just make sure that you include some Jesus music in your playlist.
    You need those spiritual songs as a part of your life. They will lift you up. They will get you thinking about the promises of God.
    When you think about all the good that God has done for you, you can’t help but sing a song of praise.
    If anyone understood what it meant to let gratitude overflow into worship, it was David.
    He didn’t just sing when life was good—he sang when he was hiding in caves, or running from Saul. He sang when facing enemies, wrestling with anxiety, and walking through uncertainty. His gratitude wasn’t tied to circumstances; it was tied to who God is.
    You see this all through the Psalms.
    David’s heart was full of praise, and because of that, praise kept overflowing out of him.
    He wasn’t silent about God’s goodness.
    He taught, he sang, he encouraged, he led others into worship.
    In fact, many of the psalms that we read today began as David simply overflowing with thankfulness in the presence of God. His gratitude became songs. His praise became Scripture. His worship became a blessing to an entire nation—and eventually to the entire world.
    And that’s exactly what Paul is talking about in this passage.
    When gratitude fills your heart, it won’t stay quiet.
    It will show up in the way you worship, the way you speak, the way you encourage others, and the way you lift up the people around you.
    Just like David,
    a grateful heart becomes a singing heart.
    A singing heart becomes a teaching heart.
    And a teaching heart becomes a generous heart.
    Gratitude flows out, and it pulls others into God’s presence with you.
    Also, look in Exodus and you will see one of the clearest pictures of gratitude overflowing into worship happens right after the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea.
    Think about that moment:
    They had just watched God part the waters.
    They walked through on dry ground.
    They saw their enemies defeated behind them.
    For the first time in generations, they were free.
    And what was their immediate response?
    Worship. Songs. Praise that filled the entire camp.
    Exodus 15 records the first recorded worship song in the Bible—The Song of Moses. But it wasn’t just Moses singing. The whole nation lifted their voices. Then Miriam grabbed a tambourine, and the women danced and sang, “Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously!”
    Their gratitude couldn’t stay quiet.
    It didn’t stay inside.
    It exploded into praise that united the whole community.
    They taught each other who God is by singing about His power.
    They admonished each other by declaring how faithful He had been.
    Their worship became their testimony.
    And their testimony strengthened their faith—and the faith of everyone around them.
    This is exactly what Paul is describing.
    When God’s goodness fills your heart, gratitude naturally overflows in worship—through singing, teaching, and encouraging one another.
    Just like Israel on the far side of the Red Sea, our praise becomes a public declaration of God’s faithfulness.
    Gratitude leads to worship.
    Worship leads to unity.
    And unity leads to generosity.
    That’s what overflowing thankfulness looks like.

    3. Gratitude Becomes Visible in Everything You Do

    Look at verse 17.
    Colossians 3:17 NIV
    17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
    Paul doesn’t let gratitude stay locked inside the sanctuary.
    He refuses to let it be reduced to a moment, a song, or a spiritual feeling.
    When he says, “Whatever you do, in word or deed… do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks,” he’s saying:
    Gratitude isn’t a Sunday posture—it’s a Monday lifestyle.
    It shows up in the everyday, ordinary spaces of life:
    how you speak to your spouse, coworkers, and strangers
    how you handle frustration, stress, and inconvenience
    how you work when no one is watching
    how you give when it costs you something
    how you serve people who can’t return the favor
    Because true gratitude doesn’t stop at “I’m thankful.”
    It moves.
    It acts.
    It gives.
    A grateful heart is a behaving heart.
    Paul is making the case that if gratitude doesn’t reshape your decisions, your attitude, your words, and your generosity—then it isn’t biblical gratitude. It’s just sentiment.
    Gratitude that stays private is incomplete.
    Gratitude that becomes action becomes Christlike generosity.
    magine sitting at a restaurant, and the server keeps pouring water into your glass. At first it fills normally, but then it reaches the top—and instead of stopping, the server keeps pouring. The water spills over the sides, onto the table, and even onto the floor.
    That’s overflow.
    Not contained.
    Not quiet.
    Not private.
    Now imagine gratitude as the water.
    God pours His goodness into your life day after day.
    Forgiveness, mercy, grace, provision, protection, answered prayers, even unseen blessings. He keeps pouring and pouring.
    And when your heart is truly full—when gratitude fills it to the brim—it can’t help but spill out.
    It will overflow in your actions.
    It will overflow in your conversations.
    It will overflow in generosity.
    It will overflow in the way you treat people and the way you reflect Jesus.
    Because a cup that’s full to the brim cannot help but overflow.
    And a heart full of gratitude cannot help but show it.
    That’s the kind of gratitude Paul is talking about—gratitude that moves beyond words and becomes a lifestyle that points people to Christ.
    When Paul wrote to the believers in Colossae, he wasn’t asking them to feel grateful—he was calling them to live grateful.
    Not a gratitude that flickers when life is good,
    But a gratitude that burns steady because Christ is good.
    A gratitude rooted in His Word dwelling deeply…
    A gratitude expressed in worship that lifts others…
    A gratitude visible in daily actions, attitudes, and generosity.
    This is the kind of gratitude that changes a home.
    This is the kind of gratitude that changes a church.
    This is the kind of gratitude that becomes a testimony to the world.
    And the truth is:
    You already have more to be grateful for than you can imagine.
    Christ has saved you, redeemed you, forgiven you, restored you, and called you His own.
    He has poured grace on top of grace into your life.
    And now—Paul says—let that gratitude overflow.
    If the Word has filled your heart…
    If worship has lifted your spirit…
    If Christ has transformed your life…
    Then don’t let your gratitude stay silent or sit still.
    Let it move.
    Let it act.
    Let it give.
    Let it overflow.
    This week, I want to challenge you with one simple but powerful step:

    Take one intentional action of gratitude that costs you something.

    Bless someone financially.
    Serve someone who can’t repay you.
    Speak encouragement to someone who’s hurting.
    Forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it.
    Give your time to someone who needs it.
    Do something generous that reflects Jesus.
    Don’t just feel grateful—live grateful.
    Let your thankfulness turn into action.
    Let your gratitude turn into generosity.
    Let your life become a picture of Colossians 3:16–17.
    When gratitude overflows, Christ is revealed.

      • Colossians 3:16–17NIV2011

      • Colossians 3:16NIV2011

      • Colossians 3:16NIV2011

      • Colossians 3:17NIV2011

  • Trust In God

      • Colossians 3:16–17NIV2011

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