There’s nothing else I want to do right now in the time that I have, but to give thanks to God. One verse which I know from stock knowledge is definitely in one of the epistles to the Thessalonians – it mentions that we rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything, we give thanks “for this is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus”.
I’ve often emphasized, or pointed out that we may not always be in such a mood to rejoice, and in fact, there will be circumstances where, no matter how sincere we bring ourselves to be, the ‘rejoicing’ oft comes out as sarcastic.
There may not be instances where we are able to pray. I mean, imagine being on a video call with someone for the entire day – as minutes turn to hours, the ordeal just becomes so taxing on our health… or, most likely, for both parties.
Or maybe I’m just speaking for my own self-proclaimed introverted, average sized social battery-ed self.
It does say, though, that we ought to give thanks ‘in everything‘. Now, sure, this may come out as sarcastic, but it really depends on what you’re giving thanks for.
Take note that Paul writes for us to give thanks ‘IN everything‘, and not to give thanks ‘FOR everything‘ – meaning, we probably should think twice before we thank God for being flagged down by law enforcement because, after so many years, they finally decide to enforce the rule that even passengers have to wear their seatbelts.
Or, we shouldn’t be so quick to give thanks to God for situations like when some folks decide to mess with your family by way of falsifying records to show that your late father was actually alive this whole time even when you were present during his wake and burial, and magically ‘signed’ a document in his name.
Wow, that was specific. But yeah, if that DOES happen to you, I’d like to gently remind you that these aren’t exactly situations you immediately give God thanks for – no, rather, we give thanks for what we have, or we give thanks for what was GUARANTEED to us through Christ and His finished work.
So we are able to give thanks even in moments where, say, you and your friends have been working on for the past two years, going through all sorts of hurdles and facing all sorts of setbacks, and you’re at the final steps before you’re given the go signal to start and life just happens at such a pace where you need it all to start immediately..
..but you AREN’T giving thanks for the (specific) situation. You’re able to give thanks because, even during these (oddly specific) situations, you’re immediately led to recalling, remembering that the Creator of the universe and all things seen and unseen is as close to you during those moments as He would ever be, so close that the Spirit reminds you that you can even call Him your Father.
You can give thanks in everything, because God is with you, for you and not against you, in everything.
It’s around a day later, and I don’t think I want to hold back from finishing this any longer. I’ve giving thanks to God, here and now.
I give Him thanks, for being with me and keeping me and my house together even when it comes to conflicts against other entities. I give thanks to God, because it’s precisely in these moments where we see collectively, how we can call out to God, and He will show us things that we do not know (Jeremiah 33:3).
It’s also in these moments where we see how the Lord not only suggests, but facilitates our having wise counsel, and being surrounded by a multitude of counsellors (Proverbs 24:6) – and He does not stop at merely giving us wise counsel, but opening our eyes to folks whom we shouldn’t be trusting, as pointed out in Proverbs 6:16-19 (haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers).
I give God the glory, and all gratitude, because though we find ourselves hasty in our own ways, and impetuous to move in some situations, He reminds us to wait on Him, as the oft quoted Isaiah 40:31 encourages us to…
…But I think, for purposes specific to my present situations, I am additionally thankful for other parts of Scripture revealed just here and now:
Wait for and expect the LORD and keep His way, And He will exalt you to inherit the land; [In the end] when the wicked are cut off, you will see it. (Psalm 37:34, AMP) (See, God faithful to His word in Jeremiah 33:3)
And see, we aren’t just waiting on the Lord for our own benefit, but for times and tides to be in harmony as well. What do I mean? He doesn’t just exalt us, but He makes ALL things beautiful in His time! (Ecclesiastes 3:11a, emphasis added)
I’d like to keep going, but I’ll cut this off here for now. Praying I make the most of out of the time. Praying for better efficiency and higher quality of all I output.
Till next time, God bless us all.
Actually, may the Lord in His goodness and grace, visit you in your personal needs, down to the smallest details of even the deepest hidden issues you hide in your own minds.
May the Lord remind you, as He reminds all of us through the power of the Holy Spirit, that no matter what you find yourself in, no matter what you condemn yourself into bringing yourself into, and no matter how you feel the world is coming against you – that the Creator of the Universe is not only the terribly glorious great Maker of all things who could create or erase everything in an instant;
Oh, may the Lord remind us all, that through Christ, we can not only see Him in all His holiness and greatness, but we can also cry out to Him, not merely as our Maker, but our Father – our Father who knows each and every one of us by name, and all we’ve done, are doing, and will do; We can cry out to Him as our Father who loves us so much that He deemed it worth giving everything up just to have us, now and forever.
Pretty sure I could be more specific about that, but there it is.
Once again: Until next time, God bless us all.
Stay strong in Christ.
192750/365000
JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter 