Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)
Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 106:1, NIV)
Why me, Lord? Why is this happening to me? Why do I have to be going through this circumstance? What is my future going to look like? How am I supposed to give you thanks when I am in so much pain? How am I to praise your name when I feel so alone?
Giving thanks and praise to God in the midst of hurt, pain, and suffering is hard work – Hard. However, it is precisely what the Bible instructs us to do. We are promised the gift of eternal life if we accept Jesus as our Savior. That alone is worthy of our praise each and every day we live on this earth. Being a Jesus follower is not a guarantee or “free pass” to an easy and blessing-filled life. The Bible tells us that we will have pain, and we will have hardships, BUT Jesus has overcome the world. For that, we need to be thankful.
When I think about giving thanks in the hard times, my mind immediately goes to the story of Job. I have conflicting views when I look at Job’s life. On one side, he faced so much pain and hurt that there is no way that I would ever want to walk in his footsteps. However, on the other side, even in the midst of the severe hardships, his faith never faltered. I want that kind of faith.
A few years ago, I found out that I was unexpectedly pregnant. I was ecstatic. My husband was ecstatic. We were thrilled and were filled with joy and anticipation of what was to come. When I went to my first doctor appointment at about nine weeks, they did an ultrasound and were highly concerned with what they saw. The heartbeat was very low for what it should have been at that point in time. I remember leaving that doctor appointment full of fear of what the outcome would be. There was nothing I could do. I felt helpless, and I was confused. Why would God allow me to get pregnant if I were going to lose the baby? When I got home, I remember dropping to my knees and crying out to God, begging him not to take this baby from me. As I was praying, a song came to mind that I began singing:
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name, oh
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name
{Blessed Be Your Name, Matt Redmond}
Those lyrics are derived from Job 1:21: “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (ESV)
This was a defining moment in my faith. What was I going to do? Would I praise his name? Would I give thanks in this circumstance – not for the circumstance, but IN it? That song became my heart’s cry that season.
“My heart will choose to say; Lord, blessed be Your name.”
Giving thanks is a choice. It is one that we need to choose every single day – in good times and not so good times. As Paul instructed the Thessalonians, God wants giving thanks to be our modus operandi, our go-to response in all of life’s circumstances.
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Discuss: Whatever your circumstance, what can you be thankful for? Do you remember that promise we have? Do you remember that eternal life that is waiting for us? As Psalm 106 states, God is for us, and his love endures forever. He loves you more than you can even think or imagine. What are you going to give thanks for today?
Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the ultimate gift of eternal life. I know that you alone are worthy of my praise. Please fill my heart with a grateful spirit. Help me to never stop giving thanks for you and your gift of eternal life. In Jesus powerful and holy name, Amen.
