Am I Thankful in All Circumstances?
Sweet potato casserole, dressing, turkey, and loads of pumpkin pie.
Mmmm…I love Thanksgiving!
The roots of my family tree run deep in the soil of the South.
As Southerners, we pride ourselves on being able to cook up some good ole’ finger licking’ food, and this ability really shines through at Thanksgiving.
As I dig into the skillfully prepared meal while surrounded by family that I do not get to see often, I cannot help but feel grateful for all of the blessings in my life.
With a belly full of pie and good conversation with a loved one, it is easy to be thankful.
Sara Claudia and her family all together on a front porch.
What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?
When we make this list, we usually think of all of the good things in our lives…
The health of our family.
That new promotion.
The start of a new relationship.
All of these blessings are wonderful, and they are worthy of our thanks, but the Bible also tells us to be thankful in all circumstances.
This includes not only the good but also the bad and the ugly.
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:18)
This message is coming from Paul who knew a lot about being thankful through hard circumstances.
“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
(Philippians 4:11-13)
Paul wrote these words while he was suffering in prison. He shows us that, because of God’s faithfulness, we can be content and thankful even during challenges.
I’ll be the first to admit that it can be so hard to be grateful through the hardships, trials, and not-so-shiny parts of our lives.
However, it can become a bit easier to sing through the doom and gloom when we turn to God’s word and learn why He is worthy of our thanks in every season.
“Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1)
One of the greatest reasons to always be thankful to God, no matter what is happening in our lives, is because we always have a God who loves us.
When we are struggling with pain, grief, or fear, we can always think back to a time that God has showed up for us in the past.
For me, I always think about when he stuck by my side so faithfully after suddenly losing my sight in 2015.
Despite the grief and pain I was feeling, He showed me so much comfort and love.
Only because of this love was I able to face my new circumstances with strength and determination.
Sara Claudia walking with her white cane shortly after losing her sight.
When we remember how His love has saved us in the past, it helps us to remember that we can trust Him now to do the same.
“Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.”
(Romans 1:21)
Another reason to always stay thankful is because it can remind us who God really is.
We can see God’s love, power, and grace all around us in His amazing creation.
No matter what is happening in our lives, we can be thankful as we take a step back, look around us, and remember what God has already done.
Being thankful, you see, can help us change our perspective.
When we do not take the time to appreciate everything that God has already done in our lives, our vision can become dim, dark, and, honestly, we can forget just how wonderful He really is.
Anxiety, worry, and addictions can become like idols to us as they begin to take the place of the hope we can only find in God’s mercy and power.
Thanking God for even the littlest things or even through hard situations, however, can help change this focus.
We begin to be more concerned with the blessings in our lives and the hope that we can make it through our hardships.
This shift in our mindset can help us to become more glass half full type thinkers, and, more importantly, it helps us to appreciate who God truly is.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.” (Psalm 23:1-3)
Another reason that we can always be thankful is because of God’s restoring power.
When we are tired, beaten down, or just emotionally burnt out, it is comforting to know that we can always run to the Lord and find strength in Him.
We can be thankful because we do not have to have all of the answers or solutions to our problems. God is that safe haven, soft place to land, and refuge for us now and always.
We do not have to be thankful for the hard things in our lives, but these scriptures, along with the promise we have in Jesus Christ, remind us that we can be thankful through them.
Happy Thanksgiving written in white with fall leaves as the background.
