Being Thankful for the Bumps in the Road

·45 min·4 clips

Corrie Ten Boom thanked God for lice and bedbugs in Ravensbrück, and the guards stopped coming.

The episode is a sermon delivered at Grace Bible Church in Winchester, Kentucky, focusing on the theme of thankfulness during Thanksgiving. The speaker opens with humorous anecdotes about a little girl and a Sunday school class to engage listeners. He then reads key Bible verses: 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Colossians 3:17, and 1 Corinthians 1:4, highlighting their common call to give thanks in all circumstances. A prayer follows, asking for God's presence and understanding of human sinfulness versus God's holiness. The core narrative centers on Corrie Ten Boom, who, while imprisoned in Ravensbrück concentration camp, thanked God for lice and bedbugs, which kept guards away. This story exemplifies giving thanks in suffering. The speaker expands on the concept of 'befores'—past sins and shame—and explains that God forgets these through Jesus, urging listeners to move forward like the Apostle Paul. He contrasts this with a story of an elderly couple who died of malnutrition despite having $40,000 hidden, illustrating missed blessings. The sermon outlines three levels of thankfulness: for what we want (which can lead to entitlement), for what we don't want (a sacrifice of praise), and for not getting what we deserve (grace). The speaker argues that true thankfulness is only possible through Christ, as stated in the verses, and that nearness to Jesus leads to likeness in character. He references Watchman Nee's advice to seek closeness to Jesus for virtues like patience. The message addresses why bad things happen, citing Isaiah and 1 John 3:2 to suggest God protects believers and will explain things in heaven. A story about a preacher dissatisfied with humble accommodations in India, contrasted with a thankful local missionary, highlights contentment. The sermon closes with a call to count blessings and an invitation to accept Jesus as Savior, emphasizing the Holy Spirit's guidance.

As heard by us

A pastoral Thanksgiving sermon finds gratitude in grace when the year has brought more bumps than ease.

This Thanksgiving sermon speaks to gratitude when hardship makes the season feel complicated. It moves through 1 Thessalonians, Colossians, Corinthians, and especially Ephesians, where those once far off are brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

When a rough year has made gratitude feel hard to reach, this sermon points you back to grace as the place to begin.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Grace Bible Church - Winchester, KY