I Thessalonians 5:18 – In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
While my husband and I were cleaning up after supper one evening, he decided to turn on some music. Specifically, he played a song about thankfulness after miracles that had become one of my favorite songs when the Lord performed a miracle for us just a few years ago. Many times since then, I would sing this song tearfully, unable to stifle the praise for what God had done.
I am not typically an outwardly emotional person; however, as soon as the song began playing on this particular evening, tears began streaming down my cheeks. This time, however, I was not overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness, but grief. We had just gone through a few rough months. Logically, I know things could always be worse, but it seemed as though bad news was continually piling up. I was hurting, and I was overwhelmed.
I cannot imagine how Job must have felt when he lost literally almost everything he had in such a short time span! He received a sequence of bad news that drastically changed his life and caused him to face immense grief. Yet, he still said in Job 1:21, …the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
Just a few weeks later, it was as if the Lord brought that night back to my mind and convicted me. I had this thought, “Why can’t I be thankful in the trial?” I Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us to be thankful in every thing—the good, the less than ideal, and the terrible. No matter what, God is always good to us, and we have many reasons to be thankful!
I am thankful for my loving and hard-working husband and for my amazing children. I am grateful for the health we all have, though it is not always perfect. I am blessed to have a beautiful home. All of my basic needs are met. I am thankful for the family, friends, and church family God has given me. I am blessed to have faithful examples in my life who have faced similar situations to mine or worse situations and still have the joy of the Lord. Most of all, I am thankful for a Saviour Who willingly suffered and laid down His life so I can have eternal life in Heaven!
There may be some who feel overwhelmed by life’s circumstances. Maybe there are some who are discouraged because of unfulfilled plans and dreams. Others may feel buried in grief. I think we ALL have been in a place where life has dealt us a crushing blow that makes it seem impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our suffering is part of God’s plan for us, and in it, we can be grateful for the Man of Sorrows Who understands our deepest pain.
I am thankful that I was reminded by a simple song to reflect on God’s goodness in a time when I felt overcome by burdens. Here is your reminder to ask yourself: what has God done for you? Perhaps your list of the things you are thankful for looks like mine. We can be thankful, even in the trial!
by Alyssa King
