Thoughts for Life: THANKFUL For EVERYTHING

Brianna Barrett

"Why do we have so much laundry? I’m so tired of always cooking. Why can’t I have what she has?

I am embarrassed to admit this was me. I was tired and irritable, and nothing made it better. My grumblings turned my attitude sour about everything. (photo courtesy of pixabay.com.)

Then I read Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonica church: “Always be joyful and never stop praying.” Paul was forced out of Thessalonica after leading many Jews to Christ. Now in Corinth, he had received word from Timothy that unbelieving Jews were persecuting the new converts. Yet the Thessalonians held firm in their faith.

Paul wrote two letters to the church to encourage them in their sufferings. Paul, a man who had faced many hardships in his lifetime, also told them to be joyful. He didn’t mean for them to be happy about their circumstances but joyful in them because of the Spirit’s power.

I wasn’t obeying Paul’s instructions or being joyful in my tasks. I began praying. My prayers weren’t fancy but heartfelt. I prayed for God to change my attitude, outlook, and heart. These prayers led me to the last part of Paul’s advice. I thanked God for everything.

I struggled when I first started thanking God for my circumstances. "Why do I have so much laundry?" became "Thank You Lord for this laundry. I have a family, and we are blessed to have clean clothes." The dirty dishes? I thanked God we had food and that I could love my family by providing a healthy meal.

The more I did it, the easier thanking became. When hard days come and my attitude starts to sour, I remind myself to be joyful . . . no matter what.

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 NLT

What steps can you take to thank God for everything and never stop praying?

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)

Let's pray-

Father, we're honest, it isn't always our attitude or outlook of heart to follow the advice of Paul. We can learn to be thankful, though, trusting Your involvement in our circumstances, that You're working in and through them for Your glory and our benefit.

It may very well be a struggle to thank You for everything, but if we'll look at life through Your eyes, we'll be able to see that You're in charge. The more we give thanks to You, the easier it will be to actually be thankful for everything! We pray this in the name of Jesus for His honor and for our good! Amen.

My weekly advice from the book, "We All Married IDIOTS, by Elaine W. Miller:

(p. 70) "Pain can make your marriage muscles stronger and enables you to go the distance as you commit to hold on and to never let go of the hands that God joined together."

#123- Testimony- GrJean

My mother was a believer in Jesus. When my father died, she turned to the Lord for help. I remember seeing her lean on the refrigerator, praying! She was strong in faith, and she passed it down to me and my brother. Over the years, it has proven to be the Strength that we've both needed!

1666-1670 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

1666- Is. 55:7b "Let him return unto the LORD and he will have mercy upon him;

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

1667- Prov. 15:4a "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life."

1668- Ps. 39:8a "Deliver me from all my transgressions."

1669- Jer. 7:11b "Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD."

1670- Prov. 21:8b "As for the pure, his work is right."

#123 Hymn- Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

This hymn was written by Joachim Neander, born in 1650, whose father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather — all Joachim Neanders — had been preachers of the gospel. But as a student, Joachim was wild and rebellious. At 20, he joined a group of students who descended on St Martin's Church in Bremen to ridicule and scoff the worshippers. But the sermon that day by Rev. Theodore Under-Eyck arrested Joachim and led to his conversion. A few years later, he was the assistant preacher at that very church!