Gratitude Before the Increase

[00:00:10] Well, hey, friends, welcome back to another edition of the weekday podcast. The last couple of days, we've been hanging out in John 6, here's what verses 10 and 11 says says Jesus told the disciples, have the people sit down. Then Jesus took the loaves, he gave thanks to God, and he distributed them to the people. And afterward, he did the same thing with the fish. [00:00:29] Now, when you hear this story, what's interesting is before the miracle unfolds, Jesus slows the moment down. He has the crowd sit. He takes what's been offered, and before anything multiplies, he starts by giving thanks. Now, there's a detail in the story that's so easy to miss, but it's deeply powerful. Before the bread multiplies, before the crowd is fed, before the miracle unfolds, Jesus. Jesus gives thanks. He thanks God before the increase. [00:00:57] Now, gratitude isn't the result of abundance, it's often the doorway to it. And Jesus models a posture that says, this is enough for now. And that gratitude invites heaven to stretch what's already present. Now, so many of us wait to be thankful until things improve, but Jesus shows us a different rhythm. Thank God in the not enough moments, trust him before the outcome is clear. Gratitude changes the atmosphere of our hearts. It loosens our grip on control, and it shifts us from scarcity to trust. And when gratitude takes root, multiplication often follows. So today, I just want to encourage you, what would it look like today to thank God today not for what you hope he'll do, but for what he's already doing right now in your hands. Think about that today and give it a try. And we'll see you back here soon. [00:01:47] Sam.