Text: 2 CHRONICLES 14:1-8
By; WHISKEY, JOSHUA
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Introduction
Today, we’re discussing “Unholy and Unthankful Attitudes.” These attitudes are a danger to our spiritual growth, our relationships with others, and our connection to God. Many of us may struggle with these traits at times, but recognizing them and understanding their consequences can lead us closer to God.
Prologue: Unthankful and Unholy Life
In a world abundant with blessings yet plagued by a growing sense of discontent, the unthankful and unholy life emerges as a troubling narrative, where gratitude and reverence are disregarded. Such a life ignores the quiet blessings that often go unnoticed—the sunrise after the darkest night, the hand extended in kindness, the beauty in the ordinary.
The unthankful heart becomes blind, focusing on what it lacks rather than what it has, leading to a restless pursuit of fulfillment that only deepens the void within. This lack of gratitude is closely tied to an unholy life—a life disconnected from principles that foster compassion, integrity, and purpose. Without a foundation of gratitude, one’s moral compass can veer into self-centeredness, breeding resentment and cynicism that cloud judgment and stifle growth. Exploring the path of the unthankful and unholy life allows us to see the consequences of neglecting these vital virtues. It serves as a mirror, prompting reflection on how easily we, too, can stray. Yet, it also invites us to seek renewal through gratitude and holiness, reconnecting with the values that bring peace, meaning, and a genuine joy that radiates outward.
Understanding Unholy and Unholy Attitude
Definition of Unholy:
Unholy means something that is “not set apart for God,” lacking the sanctity or purity that aligns with God’s will.
Holiness means separation from sin, dedicated to God’s purpose. God commands, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Therefore, an unholy attitude is one that embraces behaviors, thoughts, or intentions contrary to God’s nature.
Definition of Unthankfulness:
Unthankful means “without gratitude” or “lacking appreciation.” It’s an attitude that fails to acknowledge blessings or to recognize God’s provision. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 commands us to “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Gratitude is an essential aspect of our faith, showing our trust in God’s provision and goodness.
Serving God does not happen only in a serene environment. In fact, our service for Him is often best seen when we serve in challenging—even hostile—circumstances. When we obediently follow God no matter what, we serve others by giving them an example to follow
MAKE GOD THE FOCUS OF YOUR LIFE
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE Every day we are faced with a multitude of distractions.
Apps on our smartphones easily sidetrack us. Social media, text messages, and email after email vie for our attention too. Is it any wonder we might have a problem with keeping our focus on the task at hand? The average worker wastes 759 hours each year due to distractions in the workplace.
- In 2015, 3,477 people were killed and nearly 400,000 more were injured in vehicle crashes that involved distracted drivers.
- Ninety-two percent of college students have used their phones to send text messages during class.
- Any distraction can be dangerous, but being distracted from what really matters in life can have devastating consequences.
In the Book of 2 Chronicles, we meet one man who kept his focus. King Asa made sure nothing distracted him from keeping his focus on God.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
2 Chronicles 14:1-2 Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land had rest for ten years.
2 And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God. When a new president takes office, we watch closely to see what he will do during his first one hundred days.
Moving beyond the campaign promises, we begin to see his abilities and character in action. The first one hundred days set the tone for the rest of his administration. Asa was suddenly thrust into leadership simply because his father died. Perhaps the nation of Judah was watching to see, in a sense, what his first one hundred days would be like.
Asa himself may have wondered what kind of king he should be. We don’t know how old he was when he became king, but he had observed how his father, Abijah, reigned. Abijah was only king for three years (1 Kings 15:2), so Asa also had the example of his grandfather, Rehoboam, to consider. Asa had seen how both men responded to the challenges of leading. Both men had dealt with wars and conflicts, and each had failed to keep his focus on God and doing what was right in His sight. As a result, up to this point, the nation had little to no peace in the land, although Abijah did lead the Southern Kingdom of Judah to victory over the Northern Kingdom of Israel who had wandered away from God under the leadership of King Jeroboam. When Asa assumed the kingship, the country had peace—and it remained in peace for ten years. But a king must still keep his focus in times of peace just as he does in times of war. Peacetime leadership also carries great responsibility
When have you been inspired to follow in someone’s footsteps?
The question remained: would Asa lead like those before him or would he choose a better path? Asa didn’t have to look very far back in history to see what happened when a leader took his focus off of God. Asa chose a different route: he chose to keep his relationship with God his top priority. Asa would lead by example both in his actions before the people and in his relationship with God. He would need to depend on the Lord and in His direction. As he trusted the Lord to guide his actions and thoughts, he would lead the people to also follow the directions given by God.
How would King Asa be able to do all of this? He would have to make every decision as king in the right way no matter what situations or circumstances came up. “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” What made his leadership remarkable is that what he did was good and right in God’s eyes. It’s tempting for us to be “people pleasers,” doing what others consider good and right. People want us to do what is good and right for them. But such motives are often self-centered, and defining what is “good and right” can vary with each circumstance. Not so in God’s eyes. God’s standard of goodness and righteousness does not change. Asa wasn’t doing good and right things to please the people in his kingdom; he was doing them to please God.
2 Chronicles 14:3-5 He took away the foreign altars and the high places and broke down the pillars and cut down the Asherim
- and commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to keep the law and the commandment.
- He also took out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars. And the kingdom had rest under him.
Once Asa became king, he didn’t waste any time in taking action to do what needed to be done. His actions centered on getting the people’s attention back on God.
Worship was abundant in the land, but it was the wrong kind of worship. For several years, those in power allowed the promiscuous worship of these false gods to run unrestrained in the land. Asa’s father, Abijah, did nothing to stop this national sin. His refusal to take a stand against idolatry likely encouraged the practice. It’s not clear if Abijah also engaged in false worship, but “his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God” (1 Kings 15:3).
Asa, however, was determined that he was going to do what was right in God’s eyes and destroy the places of idol worship. And he didn’t just want a few places cleaned up. He removed the places of false worship “in all the cities of Judah” (v. 5). Every plot of land over which he had authority was to be a place where God would be acknowledged and worshiped. Asa was determined to point the nation back to God. He used his authority as king to remind the people to seek the God of their ancestors. We don’t know if the people objected to the destruction of these idols, but they certainly complied outwardly. As a result of his actions, the land lived in peace for ten years.
Imagine the impact we would have today if we sought God with the same passion and determination Asa had. Our idols may look different, Our Idols May be Lies, Pride, Malice, Hatred, Jeolousy, Out of Anger, Selfish Ambition, Drunkenness, Fornication just according to Gal 5:19-21 but we too must make the Lord the focus of every aspect of our lives.
2 Chronicles 14:6-8 6 He built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest. He had no war in those years, for the LORD gave him peace. 7 And he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the LORD our God. We have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they built and prospered. 8 And Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah, armed with large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin that carried shields and drew bows. All these were mighty men of valor
Even though the land was experiencing a time of peace, Asa didn’t take time off to go on a vacation or nap under the nearest olive tree. He maintained his focus on doing what was good and right. He rallied the people to look down the road to a possible time when there wouldn’t be peace and they might be at risk of attack from their enemies. Many Christians today take vacation for Holiness.
When God gives us a time of peace, we often want to just sit back and relax. We must guard ourselves against temptations that pull our attention and focus away from God, however. We must continually seek after Christ. Thankfully, God has given us several things to help us stand strong and stay focused. The church. The body of Christ—our brothers and sisters in Christ—are an incredible source of strength, not only during times of peace, but especially during times of discouragement and attacks from the enemy. Spiritual gifts. God has given every believer spiritual gifts and He expects us to use them. When we “flex those muscles” by using the gifts that He has given us, we are strengthened—and we strengthen others. Even as other believers help us stand, we help them stand. We stand strong and keep our focus on Christ when we stand together. Allow God to use you in the life of another believer even as you desire God to strengthen you through the gifts and ministries of others
Scriptural Example:
Isaiah 59:2 tells us, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God.” Unholy thoughts, words, and actions create a divide between us and God, blocking His blessings and guidance in our lives.
Examples of Unholy Attitudes
Pride: Pride in ourselves often leads to thinking we don’t need God. Proverbs 16:18 warns, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Impurity: The Bible speaks against impurity in Ephesians 5:3: “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity.”
Selfish Ambition: When we’re consumed with our desires, we become blind to God’s will. James 3:16 says, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Importance of Thankfulness
1 Thessalonians 5:18 commands us to “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Gratitude is an essential aspect of our faith, showing our trust in God’s provision and goodness.
Consequences of an Unthankful Heart: An unthankful heart leads to resentment, entitlement, and bitterness. Romans 1:21 tells us, “Although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
Lack of thankfulness darkens the heart and mind, making us more prone to anger, disappointment, and bitterness.
Biblical Examples of Unthankfulness
The Israelites in the Wilderness: Despite God’s miracles, the Israelites repeatedly complained (Numbers 14), showing a lack of trust in God’s promises.
Consider times when they have taken God’s blessings for granted. How can they develop a heart of gratitude?
Why God Cares About Our Attitudes
Holiness and Gratitude Are Commandments:
God commands holiness because it reflects His purity. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.”
Gratitude is not just an option; it is God’s will.
Ingratitude reflects distrust in God’s sovereignty, while thankfulness keeps us aware of His continuous work in our lives.
Impact on Our Spiritual Health
Unholy and unthankful attitudes create a barrier between us and God, cutting off blessings and peace. Psalm 66:18 warns, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Acknowledging and correcting these attitudes is essential to maintain a close, effective relationship with God.
Practical Steps for Overcoming Unholy and Unthankful Attitudes
- Self-Examination: Encourage the audience to examine their lives daily, asking God to reveal any unholy or unthankful attitudes (Psalm 139:23-24).
- Prayer for Holiness and Gratitude: Ask God to cultivate in us a pure heart and a thankful spirit. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
- Practicing Thankfulness: Suggest practical exercises like writing down daily blessings or keeping a gratitude journal to regularly focus on the good things God provides.
- Surrounding Ourselves with Positive Influences: Choosing godly company helps us remain accountable. Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
- Seek to Be More Like Christ: Jesus demonstrated holiness and thankfulness in His life, showing gratitude even in difficult times. By following His example, we can strive toward these attitudes.
Conclusion
As we reflect on “Unholy and Unthankful Attitudes,” let’s remember that God desires a heart that is both pure and grateful. He calls us to holiness not to restrict us but to draw us closer to His presence, where we find true peace and fulfillment. Likewise, a thankful heart keeps us grounded in faith, helping us recognize that every good thing we have is a gift from God.
These attitudes aren’t just personal matters—they affect our relationships, our witness as Christians, and our spiritual growth. Living with unholy or unthankful attitudes builds walls between us and God. But the good news is that, through Christ, we have the power to overcome them.
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