Have you watched the news, looked online, read a paper, and/or spoken with anyone lately? Chances are you know someone with cancer, lost a job, struggling financially, going through divorce, loss of a loved one, etc. There just seems to be so much stress and sorrow everywhere you go. Doesn't seem like things to be thankful for. Yet God wants us to be thankful
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Are supposed to give thanks in everything? What about losing my job, the death of a loved one, having cancer, overwhelming debt, etc? I don't know about you, but those aren't things I'm thankful for. So what does Paul mean for us to give thanks in all circumstances?
I think that it's because God has our back and He wants us to depend on him. Check out what Matthew and James say:
- Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)
Do Not Worry
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
- James 1:2-3 (NIV)
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Not only are we to give thanks for the good and bad, but we have to also consider it pure joy. JOY! How can you consider cancer joy? Think about a how a diamond is made. You take a plain, black, worthless rock and put extraordinary and pressure and heat on it. Then you have a clear rock that has to undergo precise cutting, grinding, and polishing to become extremely valuable. That's why we are to be thankful and joyful because God is making us diamonds.
This next verse is one verse I use a lot. When these trials come, and they do come, I try to focus on this verse and it's promise.
- Philippians 4:5-7 (New International Version)
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
For this Thanksgiving I pray that you spend time thanking God for the good and bad in your life because of the master piece He is making you into.
May you have a blessed Thanksgiving.
In His Service,
Steve
