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1 Thessalonians tells me I need to “rejoice always”. Why? Why do I always need to be thankful? Have you ever asked yourself that? I sure don’t feel thankful all the time, and some days all I “think” I have to be thankful for is my next breath. So why does God command us (me) to “rejoice always”.
Paul said he has learned to be satisfied in all circumstances (I Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you). Why? I sure know many circumstances I have read here in bloggyville just this week, where I sure would not have been thankful. Here we are raising money for Kelli, and here is a baby fighting for her life, and there are many more heartbreaks. Are you telling me I need to rejoice and they need to be satisfied in the painful circumstances they have been given? Sometimes that just stretches my mind.
Did you know Paul said these words after being forced to leave Thessalonica because of legal action taken against him by Jews hostile to him and his message? He was not in the best of circumstances, jail was being threatened. And during this, he sat and wrote “rejoice always”, “and give thanks”, “be satisfied”.
What Christ is saying through Paul is that we should give thanks in all things, but we don’t have to be thankful for all things. There is no way someone hurting is thankful for what they are going through, but during this time of suffering they can give thanks. For example, a person who has just been diagnosed with cancer is not thankful they have cancer, but they can give thanks.
Give thanks for Christ dying on the cross, give thanks that through the cancer Christ will walk every step with you, give thanks that Jesus promised never to leave you or forsake you. As Christians we were never promised an easy life, in fact we were warned of the possibility of a more difficult life. But the difference is Christ walking by our side. Paul knew that no matter what he faced (beatings, shipwrecked, prison, and some thorn we don’t know about, etc..) , he was going to be satisfied because having Jesus is having it all.
If you ask any Christian going through a major ordeal, they will say having Jesus by their side as their comfort and guide is the best thing they have right at that moment. Many times those of us on the sidelines, don’t know what to say, what to do; our human nature is to “do” something, something to take the pain away, but only Jesus can do that. What we can do is….PRAY. And let me tell you, those of you I pray for I count it a privilege.
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering,
Though there’s pain in the offering,
Blessed be Your name,
Every blessing You pour out I’ll turn back to praise,
When the darkness closes in,
Lord Still I will say Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name. Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Also, speaking of being thankful, something exciting is going on Thursday at Sting My Heart, make sure you don’t miss it.
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We truly do have so much to be thankful for…even if we don’t see it while going through difficult times.
Blessings to you Laurel.
I just love the song that you quoted…what powerful lyrics…when there’s pain in the offering…STILL I will say, Blessed be the name…
That song was playing as I was making preparations to attend a funeral yesterday. I contemplated the amazing faith that would stand even in pain with suffering and questions without answers. I believe God calls and commands us to thanksgiving because in doing so we are acknowledging His goodness to us, even when the circumstances around us seem to differ.
Our thanksgiving reflects our faith and trust in Him.
That is a great message, and a good reminder
Thanks.
I love, love, LOVE that song. My favorite line (or part of a line) is “My heart will choose to say”… blessed be Your Name.
It is a choice, but it is a choice that can change everything in the midst of whatever we’re going through.
Great post, thank you SO much for that today.
Laurel - what wonderful words of comfort to all of us who are having difficulties. Yes, Lord - I lay my burdens down - although I might be down, but You pick me up with your broad smile…
Thank you for the plug, Laurel - much appreciated.
I can’t think of a thing to add to that Laurel. Wisely and beautifully said.
We sang that song in church just a few weeks ago. I love it!!
And to whom atheists are thankful ?
The Scriptures teach us to mourn with those who mourn and to rejoice with those who rejoice. There are things to grieve over and they should be grieved over. But as Christians we can still focus on the many things we have to be thankful for. Putting the focus on our great God magnifies Him and minimizes our circumstances. It enables us to see past the pain and not be mired in our grief. Many, Christian or not, have found that as they reach out to help others rather than focus in on themselves, they experience more gratitude in their lives and their own emotional well-being improves. Thankfulness is, in the end, good for us.
Beautiful post! Thanks for your thoughtful words. I hope they bring peace to the suffering family.
I learned more genuine thankfulness for who God is & what He was teaching me in the year I experienced two of those “life-numbing episodes” than I had in the previous decades or in the decade since. But that learning through struggle has both opened opportunities to counsel others & pray for them (I suppose it has given me more compassion for others’ difficulties) & a new perspective of opportunities for growth now.
Thank you for the reminder of what we can DO for others during their “life-numbing-episodes.”