Gratitude in the Grind: Lessons from Jesus feeding 5000.
JOHN 6:5-13 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up (Jesus lifted up His eyes) and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12 When they all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
Formation is the process of being shaped into who God created you to be.
Gratitude isn’t a feeling you have when everything’s perfect –
Gratitude is the decision to see God working while life is still messy.
Gratitude simply means being thankful – recognizing and appreciating the good you do have, even when everything you want hasn’t shown up yet.
Jesus is lifting Perspective
So the first thing Jesus does in this miracle…
- before He reaches for bread… before He calls for a basket… before He performs anything supernatural…
- He lifts their perspective.
Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.
- When you see only the problem, gratitude dries up.
- When you see God in the problem, gratitude rises up.
That’s why Jesus lifts their eyes first — because gratitude grows best in a heart that can see God beyond the grind.
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
1. Lift your eyes off the problem and onto God’s promises.
2. Lift your eyes off what you don’t have and onto what you do have.
3. Lift your eyes off the outcome and onto your obedience.
4. Lift your eyes off impossibility and onto our God.
Jesus is growing Capacity
Jesus tells the disciples, “You give them something to eat.” Mark 6:37
Jesus doesn’t solve the problem for them — He hands it back to them.
- Before there’s a boy… before there’s bread…
- Jesus gives them an impossible assignment:
- “YOU feed them.” This is capacity stretching.
Jesus isn’t just feeding people — He’s forming disciples.
- You don’t grow capacity by watching the miracle —
- You grow capacity by participating in it.
Here is how you can grow your capacity:
1. Do the hard thing first.
2. Take one faithful step instead of solving the whole problem.
3. Remove one thing that drains you and add one thing that grows you.
Gratitude says:
“God, thank You that You are stretching me into who I need to become.”
Jesus is showing His Providence: Miracle in Motion
Providence means God is already working ahead of you, arranging what you need before you even get there.
Mark 6:41 He gave them (the baskets) to the disciples to set before the people.
This is one of the most overlooked miracle details:
- The multiplication did not happen when Jesus blessed the bread.
- It happened when the disciples walked.
- Jesus blessed it… but it didn’t multiply in His hands. It multiplied in theirs.
The miracle was in motion. It showed up:
- In the grind. In the hands of tired disciples. After a long day.
- In the heat. In the sweat. In the steps they probably didn’t want to take.
1. Motion looks like forgiving someone who hurt you.
2. Motion looks like opening your Bible for five minutes — even if you don’t know where to start.
3. Motion looks like finally scheduling the counseling, the doctor’s visit, or the hard conversation you’ve been avoiding.
4. Motion looks like doing one small thing today for the dream you’ve been praying about.
Jesus is forming your Gratitude
John 6:11 “He gave thanks…”
- Jesus gives thanks before anything multiplies.
- Not after the miracle. Not after the crowd is fed. Not after the baskets overflow.
- He gives thanks while the need is still bigger than the supply.
- That’s gratitude in the grind.
Gratitude that says:
- “God, I don’t see it yet, but I trust You.”
- “God, it’s not enough yet, but thank You for what I have.”
- “God, I’m tired, but You’re still good.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in ALL circumstances.
Philippians 4:6 With thanksgiving, present your requests…
Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at ALL times…
Thanksgiving is over… Christmas is around the corner… the new year is coming…
and life keeps moving. The grind doesn’t slow down — but Jesus is forming you in it.
- You already know the stressful places in your life.
- You know the seasons that stretch you.
- So don’t wait for gratitude to show up —
Set it up.
- Wake up and write down three things you’re grateful for.
- Pick up a gratitude journal.
- Pause in the middle of your day and remember something God has done.
Choose gratitude — because Jesus chose you.
- And He is forming you through the grind.
Praising God for the miracle of Jesus — the God who stepped into our grind so He could shape us through it.
Family… that is gratitude in the grind… So as you leave today, remember this:
Lift your eyes — God is revealing new perspective.
Take your step — God is growing your capacity.
Bring your little — God will multiply it.
Give thanks — even before it grows.
Because the miracle isn’t just what God does for you — it’s what God is forming in you.