Our text for today is 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
That doesn’t seem possible. Should I give thanks even when my car breaks down on a busy freeway? What about when the doctor tells me I am very sick? Paul wrote, “In everything give thanks.” Yes even when the news isn’t good.
A couple of weeks ago, my daughter was on a vacation in Puerto Rico. On a beautiful beach, a vicious wave knocked her down. At first she feared she broke her wrist. It has been many days and there is still pain. No bones were broken, but there seems to be nerve damage in her left wrist. As we discussed it, she said, “I’m just thankful it wasn’t my right wrist.”
Now let’s go back to “In everything give thanks.” That is exactly what she was doing, finding something to be thankful about. We discussed it more and realized that some folks don’t damage the nerve in the wrist. They damage the nerves in their back.
She then said that she was thankful that she can still do her job while healing. In the hard times in your life, you can always find a reason to be thankful. I know I have failed on that point, but I need to remind myself to do better.
One of my favorite stories about finding thanks in all circumstances was written by a minister of a bygone era.
While out at night he was robbed of his wallet. Knowing he need to be thankful in all things, what could he possibly be thankful for.
In his daily journal he wrote about the thief who robbed him,
“Let me be thankful, first because he never robbed me before; second, because although he took my purse, he did not take my life; third, because although he took all I possessed, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed.”
So for today, be thankful when it is easier to complain.
Lonnie Davis