"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
What are you facing today? What is wrong in your world? What are your circumstances? Rejoicing, praying and giving thanks are easy to do when the good times roll. But in those times we call 'bad times', it is hard to do our heavenly Father's will. Praying seems like a no brainer - only God can help us, so most of us will pray, though sometimes we get so angry with God that we stop praying altogether. Rejoicing in those times seems a stretch and even a little contrary to Romans 12:15 and Ecclesiastes 3:4, though we know that there is no contradiction in Scripture, rather it is our sin nature affecting our ability to receive the Word of God. But giving thanks should be possible, in light on all that God ha done for us in Christ. I can't find any biblical example of people thanking God for the trouble that is upon them (even Job, who said we must accept good and bad from God's hand, didn't thank Him for the trouble). After the trouble was over though, some, like Joseph, were able to see the good in the bad. God is not asking us to thank Him for the bad and evil things that are happening - NO. He is asking us to thank Him for the good that He has done for us in Christ Jesus. We have every spiritual blessing in Christ! Let us fix our eyes on Him and turn our minds toward what we have in Christ by thanking Him in our circumstance today. Giving thanks is an action not an attitude. Act now!
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