I have little to be thankful for. Well, at least that is what I sometimes think when going through difficult times. God has seen fit to put me through numerous contemporary trials this semester. Tight budget, school debt, broken relationships, hurting relationships, mysterious sickness, and I’m sure if I was in a worse mood I could think of more =P. Can you relate? Myself, my family, and my church are experiencing many difficult circumstances currently and I am sure you may be experiencing some yourself.
Despite all of this I know what God wants me to do. I hit a very low point recently due to a large emotion wrecking bomb that hit me recently. Yet when I read the Scriptures I find peace to give thanks in the middle of the destruction. The Holy Spirit recorded, both for me and you, what to do in the midst of trials as well as good times.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB) “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
We Christians should have joyful, prayerful, and thankful attitudes in all circumstances because it is God’s will for us (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
“Joy? Thankfulness? But God, so many people in the Church have hurt me! How am I supposed to rejoice and give thanks when they don’t seem to care what they have done?”
At least, that is what I have found myself saying lately. But I have seen in the Scriptures this week that I can forgive them because God has forgiven me. I can love them because Jesus loved me. It is only when you and I, fellow believer, are forgiving and loving each other through the peace God has placed within us that thankfulness can overflow even in the midst of painful social situations.
We Christians should be thankful in all social circumstances even when we must strive to have love for one another (Read: Colossians 3:12-17).
We must keep on being thankful as we strive to have peace, love, and forgiveness within the Church. This passage is primarily concerning the church body putting away their old lives and putting on their new identities in Christ. At the end of the passage we read in three consecutive verses “be thankful”, “singing with thankfulness in your hearts”, and “giving thanks” (Colossians 3:15-17 NASB). We Christians have new lives in Christ. The old sin nature’s power has been broken by Jesus! It is time to live anew with His peace, love, and forgiveness! Every one of us will stumble in what we say and do (even us Christian teachers) but we can retain unity through the peace implanted in our hearts. It is when we are relying on the peace FROM JESUS, the love OF JESUS, and the forgiveness SUPPLIED BY JESUS that we can give thanks even when people in the Church hurt us.
Yes, I admit to you it is often quite hard (or even impossible) to see how God could use any of the hard things in life for our good. Yet He does.
God will ultimately bring everything together for our good (Read: Romans 8:28-30).
This passage is oft quoted as quick medicine for the struggling Christian. But what these verses teach is quite the opposite of “quick”.
“Hey God… Good? What good? When is it coming? I sure don’t see it!”
It’s coming, dear brother or sister. The good is coming out of both the difficult times of your life and my own. It may not come tomorrow. It may not come the next day. But it’ll definitely come when we are in the presence of King Jesus, our savior. Look at verses 29-30 again “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified” (NASB). God ultimately wants to glorify us! He wants to make us into images “of His Son”. That is the end goal. God didn’t call you to destroy you. He called you to transform you into the best thing you could ever be. He chose you, he declared you righteous, and He will one day truly make you righteous. But right now you are going through the process. You and I, we are being made righteous through the testing of our faith.
THIS is how a Christian can give thanks in ALL circumstances (including the trials). This Thanksgiving will you only give thanks for the things that make you feel good? The turkey, casserole, family (if you get along with yours), football, a day off from work? Or will you give thanks to God for the trials He is putting you and your church through in order to make you into the image of His Son?
Brothers, sisters, let us give thanks to our Daddy in Heaven for all He is doing in our lives; both in the good times and the bad. May thanksgiving be more than acknowledgement of our material possessions. May our Thanksgiving be a joyous celebration of where God is taking us, what He has promised us, and what He has already done… even through the trials.
Give thanks in all circumstances.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
Despite all of this I know what God wants me to do. I hit a very low point recently due to a large emotion wrecking bomb that hit me recently. Yet when I read the Scriptures I find peace to give thanks in the middle of the destruction. The Holy Spirit recorded, both for me and you, what to do in the midst of trials as well as good times.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB) “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
We Christians should have joyful, prayerful, and thankful attitudes in all circumstances because it is God’s will for us (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
“Joy? Thankfulness? But God, so many people in the Church have hurt me! How am I supposed to rejoice and give thanks when they don’t seem to care what they have done?”
At least, that is what I have found myself saying lately. But I have seen in the Scriptures this week that I can forgive them because God has forgiven me. I can love them because Jesus loved me. It is only when you and I, fellow believer, are forgiving and loving each other through the peace God has placed within us that thankfulness can overflow even in the midst of painful social situations.
We Christians should be thankful in all social circumstances even when we must strive to have love for one another (Read: Colossians 3:12-17).
We must keep on being thankful as we strive to have peace, love, and forgiveness within the Church. This passage is primarily concerning the church body putting away their old lives and putting on their new identities in Christ. At the end of the passage we read in three consecutive verses “be thankful”, “singing with thankfulness in your hearts”, and “giving thanks” (Colossians 3:15-17 NASB). We Christians have new lives in Christ. The old sin nature’s power has been broken by Jesus! It is time to live anew with His peace, love, and forgiveness! Every one of us will stumble in what we say and do (even us Christian teachers) but we can retain unity through the peace implanted in our hearts. It is when we are relying on the peace FROM JESUS, the love OF JESUS, and the forgiveness SUPPLIED BY JESUS that we can give thanks even when people in the Church hurt us.
Yes, I admit to you it is often quite hard (or even impossible) to see how God could use any of the hard things in life for our good. Yet He does.
God will ultimately bring everything together for our good (Read: Romans 8:28-30).
This passage is oft quoted as quick medicine for the struggling Christian. But what these verses teach is quite the opposite of “quick”.
“Hey God… Good? What good? When is it coming? I sure don’t see it!”
It’s coming, dear brother or sister. The good is coming out of both the difficult times of your life and my own. It may not come tomorrow. It may not come the next day. But it’ll definitely come when we are in the presence of King Jesus, our savior. Look at verses 29-30 again “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified” (NASB). God ultimately wants to glorify us! He wants to make us into images “of His Son”. That is the end goal. God didn’t call you to destroy you. He called you to transform you into the best thing you could ever be. He chose you, he declared you righteous, and He will one day truly make you righteous. But right now you are going through the process. You and I, we are being made righteous through the testing of our faith.
THIS is how a Christian can give thanks in ALL circumstances (including the trials). This Thanksgiving will you only give thanks for the things that make you feel good? The turkey, casserole, family (if you get along with yours), football, a day off from work? Or will you give thanks to God for the trials He is putting you and your church through in order to make you into the image of His Son?
Brothers, sisters, let us give thanks to our Daddy in Heaven for all He is doing in our lives; both in the good times and the bad. May thanksgiving be more than acknowledgement of our material possessions. May our Thanksgiving be a joyous celebration of where God is taking us, what He has promised us, and what He has already done… even through the trials.
Give thanks in all circumstances.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
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