There are reasons why the Bible instructs us to thank God in all things. The last few weeks, we have been looking at our seasons of change. But today, we are going to remember why we thank God in all things!
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 TLB we read, “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Always!
Often, it is hard to be thankful when things don’t quite work out the way we think they should. However, God’s Word clearly tells us, no matter what, we should be thankful. Why? I can only understand through my own experience.
Let me tell you a story.
My son just turned 20. I always relish in remembering the circumstances leading up to his birth. 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. Twelve hours of urine flushed down the drain.
I was confused and questioned her. But there was nothing to be done. The samples were literally flushed down the toilet. With tears in my eyes, I laid in that dark room and thought how can I be thankful for this? I struggled to understand what had happened but began thanking God anyway. I thanked God for the hospital, for the bed I was lying in, and the blankets keeping me warm. Also, I thanked God for my husband, 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 as well. It took a long while for the gravity and miracle of our situation to settle in on me.
This is why we thank God in all things! That ‘mistake’ the nurse made actually saved our lives. It kept us at the hospital for an earlier than expected delivery. Because of her mistake, we agreed to stay. I cannot help but believe it was, in fact, God at work. No matter what, even when you do not understand, 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. I am not sure we should even try. The lesson is to TRUST God in all things. Thankfulness increases our trust in God.
My husband and I were quite upset at that nurse when all this happened. We are human with feelings. In hindsight, it is obvious. I am convinced through that nurse’s mistake, God saved our lives.
Thanks be to God in all things, especially when 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 if you do not understand it. Be thankful and know 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.
Let us pray;
Dear Lord, dear good and gracious God, thank You for your Word that teaches us . We don’t have to understand your ways. But, we know You are working it all out for our good. We love You Lord and we praise You for all that YOU are in our lives. In Jesus Name, Amen.
P.S. Here is a precious song that you might enjoy. Click the YouTube video below and if you cannot see it, open this message from your browser. Leave me a comment below and let me hear from you. Forward this to a friend that might be struggling. Post on Facebook and tag me in it. Until next time, practice being thankful. -M
