Saturday, July 23

In Everything Give Thanks

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (I Th. 5:18) Did the Lord really mean EVERYTHING? Sometimes it is extremely difficult to give thanks for various situations that come my way. For instance, do I really have to say, "Thank you Lord for the minor fender bender that we just experienced?" Is it truly necessary that I say, "Thank you Lord for a breaker that keeps flipping which in turns causes the air conditioning to cease to function?" Yes, that is exactly what the Lord instructs. Even though I have said my prayer of thanksgiving, I want it written down. So, here it is, "Thank you Lord."

Okay, I am sitting here smiling, but I know that many of us can confidently and effortlessly thank the Lord for all the good times in our lives. This type of praise just flows naturally. When we are encompassed with seemingly "bad situations," we immediately want to pout and complain, and the last thing that comes to our mind is adulation unto the Lord.

The Bible further states, "It is good to give thanks unto the LORD, and sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. . . . For thou, Lord, has made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great are thy works. . . ." (Psa. 92:1-2; Psa. 1:4-5) Yes, one of life's great lessons is being able to speak words of thanksgiving for EVERYTHING that comes our way. By my words of thanksgiving, I am turning a negative situation into a window of opportunity wherein I can trust the Lord. I simply need to have the faith to believe that everything is going to be just marvelous because He has given me that blessed assurance.

I am ending my thought with one last scripture and then it is off to bed for me. "PRAISE ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." (Psa. 106:1)

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