" rejoice always, pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. "
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I have to be honest - I don't always want to give thanks in all circumstances. There are times when I find it very difficult to be thankful. Like when my girls are both having meltdowns because it is time for bed and the pajamas they just have to wear are in the wash, lunches still need to be packed, the rest of dinner is still on the stove waiting to be put away, and I can not find Charlotte's blanket anywhere. Those are hard times to be "giving thanks in all". However, with this month's spotlight on Thanksgiving, I am really focusing on what it means to be thankful, and how to be thankful in all circumstances.
I think what Paul had in mind for us when he wrote this was for us to keep a spirit of thanksgiving because of who God is and what He has done, regardless of what might be going on in our lives at any given time. This is not to say that we will always feel thankful when we are knee deep in the trenches of sleepless nights with sick babies, or when we are faced with a difficult choice or mourning a loss. However, it is important to remember that we are not slaves to our circumstances, but can rise above them because we have been given a new identity in Christ. We have been given an inheritance and a hope and a future. He is always with us, He is always for us, and we can be always be thankful because He has set us free.
And so I give thanks. I give thanks that He has brought me out of the mire and set my feet upon solid ground. I give thanks that I am His daughter - a daughter with heaven in my future. When we look past our difficulties and see Jesus, we can be truly thankful in all circumstances because He is always in control, and will never ever leave or forsake us. He will never change and He is always working out His best for us in our lives. He is bigger than anything that comes our way today or any other day that we are here on this earth! And so we give thanks in all...
I think what Paul had in mind for us when he wrote this was for us to keep a spirit of thanksgiving because of who God is and what He has done, regardless of what might be going on in our lives at any given time. This is not to say that we will always feel thankful when we are knee deep in the trenches of sleepless nights with sick babies, or when we are faced with a difficult choice or mourning a loss. However, it is important to remember that we are not slaves to our circumstances, but can rise above them because we have been given a new identity in Christ. We have been given an inheritance and a hope and a future. He is always with us, He is always for us, and we can be always be thankful because He has set us free.
And so I give thanks. I give thanks that He has brought me out of the mire and set my feet upon solid ground. I give thanks that I am His daughter - a daughter with heaven in my future. When we look past our difficulties and see Jesus, we can be truly thankful in all circumstances because He is always in control, and will never ever leave or forsake us. He will never change and He is always working out His best for us in our lives. He is bigger than anything that comes our way today or any other day that we are here on this earth! And so we give thanks in all...
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