14.9

Day 9 of the “14 Days of Thanks” – a countdown to Thanksgiving

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”                (I Thessalonians 5:18, ESV)

Give thanks in “all” circumstances…

In sickness in heath

When rich, when poor

When emotionally drained or charged

When upset, when angry, when you feel like crying, when tears come that you cannot stop, when smiling, when the sun is shining, when breathing, when winning, when your child achieves, when they do something you would rather not remember…

In the good, bad and mundane…

Give Thanks.

“Give thanks …, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Do you want to be in Jesus’ will?  Then give thanks when you feel like it and when you no longer feel thankful.  In all circumstances it is God’s will for us to give thanks…

all of them.

So when that loved one dies, and you see them in the coffin. Take a moment alone, to sit and contemplate things you are thankful for.

When a loved one is in the hospital and is about to pass.  Take a moment alone, to sit and tell God why you are thankful.

When the call comes that there is no bonus check for you, a bonus check you counted on.  Take a moment alone to sit and talk to God about what you are thankful for.

When the doctor tells you, you are sick and it does’t look good.  Take a moment, get alone with God, dig deep and find somethings in your current circumstance to be thankful for.

In all circumstances, take a moment to sit and vocalize things you are thankful for and if you can’t find any, just sit there and pray until they come to you.

For thanksgiving changes things. It changes your outlook concerning your hard time. It changes your position in the struggle.  Giving thanks reminds you there is someone else in control and He is not going to let your struggle define you any more than He allows your victories to make you who you are.

Giving thanks in all circumstances is one of the ways God strengthens you, your faith and your walk with Him.

After all, only good can come from a heart that is thankful…

only good

and sometimes that’s exactly what you need in your time of need.

Maybe that’s why it’s His will for us to always do.