Thanking God in ALL things and why we should

1 Thessalonians 5:18 TLB says, “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Sometimes it is hard to be thankful when things don’t work out the way we think they should. But God’s Word clearly tells us that no matter what, we should be thankful. Why? Let me tell you a story.

My son turned 14 this week and we always enjoy retelling his birth story. Days before the delivery, I was hospitalized to monitor our vitals. My blood pressure was dangerously high and the doctors decided we should do a 24-hour urine catch to check my protein levels. At 1 a.m., about 12 hours into the catch, a new nurse entered my room.  Drowsily, I watched as she dumped out all the urine. I questioned her but there was nothing to be done.  The samples were flushed down the toilet, literally.  With tears in my eyes, I laid in that dark room confused and thought how can I thank God for this. I struggled to understand what had happened and began thanking God for what I could. I thanked God for the hospital.  I thanked God for the bed I was lying in and the blankets that were keeping me warm. I thanked God for my husband and family and for our unborn son. Even though I did not understand, I thanked God.

The next morning, the doctors decided in lieu of the nurse’s ‘mistake’ to induce labor. It took about 11 hours from start to finish but we birthed a healthy little baby boy. We call him Luke. At delivery, the nurses quickly handed the mucus covered child to his father to focus their attention on me.  My firefighting husband knew by the urgency of the staff and the amount of blood that something was not right.  Apparently, the cord broke loose and my placenta ruptured just after delivery. Turns out, the umbilical cord had been barely hanging on. They called it a fluke, a one in a million statistic and explained that if the cord had come loose during pregnancy, it would have meant immediate death to our unborn child and probable death to me. It took a long while for the gravity and miracle of our situation to settle in on me.

I believe the ‘mistake’ the nurse made actually saved both me and my son’s lives. I can’t help but believe that it was in fact God at work. No matter what, always be thankful.  Isaiah 55 says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We cannot understand God’s ways.  His ways are indeed higher than our ways. My husband and I were quite upset at the time. But in hindsight, it is obvious. I am convinced through that nurse, God saved our lives.  Thanks be to God in all things, even things I do not understand.

So, the next time you are faced with a situation that is not working out like you thought it should, pause and thank God.  Even though you might not understand it, be thankful and know that God is there.  We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. Praise be to God!  Praise HIM in all things!  Practice this in your life today.  I am certain in just a little while, something is not going to go as planned.  Pause and thank God that God is in control, that God is workings it out for you.  God is so good!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you that your Word tells us to be thankful in all things.  Thank you that we don’t have to understand your ways. Thank you that we know that you are working it all out for the good of those that love you.  We love you Lord and we praise you for all that YOU are in our lives.  In Jesus Name, Amen. -M

ps – here’s a precious thank you song that me and my husband love.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Don’t forget, leave me a comment below. I love hearing from you.