Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

1 Thessalonians says we are to give thanks in the middle of all situations, but at the end of five, emotionally tumultuous weeks, I was feeling…a mess. How can I give thanks while facing difficult situations?

One particularly hard day, I was visiting a family member in the hospital. We had just received the call that my grandmother passed away. A few minutes after the call, my dad said “God is good”. What?! How can he say that God is good? We were sitting in a hospital; his mom has just died.

Cultivating a Grateful Heart

A couple weeks later – no more hospital visits and after the funeral – I went to a prayer meeting at church. Often, global partners are invited to speak. That day, the couple sharing had just finished a sabbatical in preparation for their next phase of ministry. A lot of what they shared was impactful, including the idea of cultivating a grateful heart.

This couple encouraged us to grow in gratefulness by filling in this sentence: Jesus, it would have been enough if _________, but You _________. For example, It would have been enough to go to church and learn about God from the speaker, but Jesus gave me friends at church who also encourage me. In fact, He has given me strong friendships at two different, local churches. It would have been enough to have an apartment, but Jesus gave me a two-level apartment with parking right outside my front door, a streetlight out front, in a quiet area ideal for working from home.

Practicing thankfulness in this way reminded me of how amazing God is. He’s great all by Himself, without anything He’s ever done for me or my family or friends. But on top of that, He has also chosen to bless me in many different ways.

Give Praise to the Lord

During the week I heard from this missionary couple, I also read Psalm 105. Verses 1 to 4 were especially helpful. Here are a few things I learned:

• Sing and give praise to the Lord (v. 1) – Yes, we do this at church, but I was also reminded to sing praises to the Lord at home. Sing along with some worship music or sing your own song (whether you sound good or not).
• Tell of His wonderful acts, proclaim His name (v. 1) – As I talk with friends and family, don’t be shy or quiet about what Jesus is doing or what I’ve learned about who He is. Say it.
• Look to the Lord and His strength, seek His face always (v. 4) – Get strength from the Lord as I seek Him.

The Testing of Your Faith

Choosing to be thankful in the middle of difficult situations is revolutionary. It reminds me of the power of God, and does what the Bible says in James 1:2-4 – helps me to mature in my faith through trials.

Life Lesson: Practice gratefulness and verbally praise the Lord for who He is and what He’s done.