“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Really? Are we expected to obey this? In EVERYTHING give thanks??? That seems completely unreasonable. It just does not make sense.
Paul is very clear in his letter to the Church at Thessalonica. The Greek here is “pas” (πᾶς ). It is defined as “each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything, and something of all types.” What is left? Nothing – Zip – Zero – Zilch. Everything means EVERYTHING.
So this means we are to give thanks for the good, the bad, the ugly, the success, the failure, the hard, the easy, the trouble, the inconvenience, the joy, the tears, the laughter and so on?
Well, YES!
God’s Word says EVERYTHING.
There is a story told of a 14 year old boy in September 1966. He was home watching “I Dream of Jeannie” on television when the program was interrupted by a news bulletin: "Three prominent local businessmen have died in a plane crash in the mountains of Tennessee." That's how the 14 year old boy learned of the death of his father.
It was difficult and painful for the boy growing up without a father. He loved and needed his dad. He couldn't understand why God would take his father away from him so suddenly. The boy certainly didn't see the death of his father as a "blessing" in any sense of the word.
Yet as the boy grew into a man there were blessings that came out of that terrible tragedy. In the years since his father had died, God brought a number of men across this boy’s path that also had lost fathers at an early age. Because of his own loss, he had an instant connection with others who suffered similar losses. He was able to share an experience that other people couldn't fully understand. At the time it did not make sense to “give thanks.” But the boy allowed God to use his situation to help others and thanked God for the opportunity. He obeyed when it did not make sense.
In today’s economy there are many experiencing major financial problems. It is not easy to admit it is a blessing to go through troubled times. But God has in the past and will continue to use our trials to bring blessing to other people. It actually is a means to move us into a whole new calling.
When we meet someone who is going through a time of trouble, a time of joy, or whatever God can see in the “bigger picture” there's an instant bond between those who have shared experiences.
God can take our adversity—a heart attack, cancer, an automobile accident, violent crime, bankruptcy, a marriage crisis, the loss of a loved one—and transform that pain into encouragement for the people around us. We come out of those experiences stronger and better able to comfort others.
Although adversity may never be a blessing, God in His grace and only with HIS GRACE can bring blessing out of our adversity. The key is releasing the hurt and pain to the Lord so He can bring the needed healing to our lives. Why not give all of our circumstances to the Lord today and let Him use it in the lives of others? This will be the first step toward healing.
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT)
Remember that what happens in our situations is no surprise to God. He knows. He is already in the midst of ALL situations waiting for us to join Him and give thanks for Who He is and What He will do. God is right there with us and when our pain or joy does not seem to make sense, we cannot take our eyes off our Almighty God and Savior.
God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort because He’s been there, and done that. Jesus experienced life just like us. That enables Him to enter into our grief, our joys, our hurting, or any situation in a way that no one else can. Whatever does not seem to make sense to us is perfect in God’s plan, timing, and response.
All we need to do is to let go and let God be God.
Hello Again!!
7 years ago
