Being Thankful In All Things

 

Recently I was asked "How can we give thanks for everything that happens to us?" My quick answer was, "We can't. And God doesn't expect us to. God said that we are to give thank in everything, not for everything."

So often the enemy changes one small word and our entire thinking goes wrong. God tells us that we are to be thankful in our circumstances not for them. 

How many times have we been in a place where we are faced with suffering, pain, or trials with the wrong view? We think that somehow we are to be thankful for whatever we are facing. In this life we can face some really hard things in life. Like, how can a mother watch her child die of cancer and be thankful? How can a wife be thankful that her husband is having an affair? How can we be thankful as we live and work in an environment that seems hostile to what we believe? How can anyone be thankful for being abused, beaten, abandoned, marginalized, forgotten or... the list could go on and on.

Oh dear one, God does not ask us to be thankful for these things. He wants us to have an attitude of thankfulness as we walk through them. When our circumstances threaten to overwhelm us we can still be thankful. We can be thankful as we look to God. But first we must take our eyes off the circumstance, die to what we thought would happen, and remember who He is and what He has done. We can be thankful for His continued Faithfulness to us.

We can give thanks because we know that God always acts in righteousness. "I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High". Ps 7:17 

We can give thanks because He is our God! "You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You". Ps 118:28

We can give thanks as a sacrifice of praise. "...The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21

God wants us to choose an attitude of thankfulness.  It’s choosing to live, walk, and believe in TRUTH regardless of emotions or circumstances. Living a life in thankfulness is beyond the ability of the flesh so we must rely on the Spirit. We must be in His word. "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving." Col 4:2 

Will you choose to be thankful because of who God is? Will you choose to focus on God and His character instead of whatever current circumstances you find yourself in? Go to God in prayer and ask His Spirit to help you live a life being thankful reguardless of your circumstances.

Reflecting God's Love

 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34 (NIV)

As followers of Christ we are called to reflect God's love in our daily lives. Being a Christian is not merely about attending church services or reciting prayers; it is about embodying the teachings of Jesus and living out His commandments.

In John 13:34, Jesus gives us a new commandment: to love one another as He has loved us. This commandment is the foundation of being a god centered Christian. It challenges us to extend love, grace, and compassion to everyone we encounter, regardless of their background, beliefs, or actions. 

To be a Christian means to be a vessel of God's love in a broken world. It means showing kindness to the stranger, forgiveness to the offender, and empathy to the hurting. It means being patient with those who test our patience and extending a helping hand to those in need. It means loving those who sin differently than we do and remembering the sin and temptations God has saved us from.

Being a godly Christian also involves living a life of integrity and righteousness. It means aligning our thoughts, words, and actions with God's Word. It means seeking His guidance and wisdom in every decision we make, and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us from within.

Let us remember that being a godly Christian is not about perfection, but about progress. It is a lifelong journey of growth and transformation. We may stumble and fall along the way, but God's grace is always available to lift us up and empower us to continue walking in His ways.

Today, let us commit ourselves to being a God honoring Christian, reflecting God's love in all that we do. May our lives be a testimony of His goodness, mercy, and grace, drawing others closer to Him.