One benefit of the Thanksgiving holiday is that it reminds us of God's commandment to be thankful. “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you,” the Bible says (1 Thessalonians 5:18). This is a verse we Christians toss around a lot during the Thanksgiving holiday season. When it’s read in church or the preacher quotes it during his sermon, most of the congregation warmly receives it. After all, as stated in the verse, “this is the will of God.”
But I believe that if we are honest about it, most of us struggle with obeying this verse at times.
This verse does not command us to give thanks for all things, but to give thanks in all things. The point is that thanksgiving to God should not be a function of our circumstances. Yes, I know this is a truth that at times can be hard for us to live out because it’s human nature for us to be negatively affected by depressing circumstances. Giving thanks to God amidst such ordeals is perhaps the farthest thing from our thinking.
On the other hand, God never asks us or commands us to do the impossible. Though it may take a little more effort, or perhaps a lot more effort, we can in fact offer genuine thanksgiving to Him even when times are trying in our life.
As I pen this post, I acknowledge that some of you who will read it will do so during unfavorable circumstances in your life. Perhaps for some of you, the term unfavorable circumstances is an understatement. A living hell is more like it. Given the current state of our economy, it is reasonable to assume that such will be the case for some who read this. But friend God still wants you to render thanksgiving to Him.
The point is that God does not want our response to and worship of Him to be driven purely by human emotions. We should not limit our thanksgiving to Him to the times in which He showers us with His blessings and we judge Him to be thankworthy. Rather, our giving of thanks to Him should be driven by the fact that He is God the Creator. Yes, I am saying that God deserves our thanksgiving simply because He is God. So even when life gives us little to write home about, God is still God, and that alone makes Him thankworthy.
I have not shared any new revelation in this post. And nothing I have said makes it any easier to be thankful to God when we find it hard to do so. But remember that this is the will of God for us. Moreover, when we press our way to obey Him in spite of our circumstances or how we feel, God honors our faithfulness.
So--in everything give thanks? The answer is a resounding yes.
Copyright © 2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.
But I believe that if we are honest about it, most of us struggle with obeying this verse at times.
This verse does not command us to give thanks for all things, but to give thanks in all things. The point is that thanksgiving to God should not be a function of our circumstances. Yes, I know this is a truth that at times can be hard for us to live out because it’s human nature for us to be negatively affected by depressing circumstances. Giving thanks to God amidst such ordeals is perhaps the farthest thing from our thinking.
On the other hand, God never asks us or commands us to do the impossible. Though it may take a little more effort, or perhaps a lot more effort, we can in fact offer genuine thanksgiving to Him even when times are trying in our life.
As I pen this post, I acknowledge that some of you who will read it will do so during unfavorable circumstances in your life. Perhaps for some of you, the term unfavorable circumstances is an understatement. A living hell is more like it. Given the current state of our economy, it is reasonable to assume that such will be the case for some who read this. But friend God still wants you to render thanksgiving to Him.
The point is that God does not want our response to and worship of Him to be driven purely by human emotions. We should not limit our thanksgiving to Him to the times in which He showers us with His blessings and we judge Him to be thankworthy. Rather, our giving of thanks to Him should be driven by the fact that He is God the Creator. Yes, I am saying that God deserves our thanksgiving simply because He is God. So even when life gives us little to write home about, God is still God, and that alone makes Him thankworthy.
I have not shared any new revelation in this post. And nothing I have said makes it any easier to be thankful to God when we find it hard to do so. But remember that this is the will of God for us. Moreover, when we press our way to obey Him in spite of our circumstances or how we feel, God honors our faithfulness.
So--in everything give thanks? The answer is a resounding yes.
Copyright © 2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment