Tuesday, November 26, 2019
We Still Need to Say Thank You
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 nkjv)
In a relatively short period of time, poor Job lost everything that was precious to him. He lost his family, his health, and his possessions. And to make matters worse, his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9 nkjv).
Job lost it all, yet he gave thanks to God. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21 nkjv).
When something good happens in our lives, we give God the glory. But what about when things are not going well? We still need to say, “Thank you, Jesus.”
Sometimes praising the Lord is a sacrifice, but we should always do it. As the apostle Paul wrote, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 nkjv).
Notice that Paul tells us to give thanks “in everything.” In Greek, this phrase means “in connection with everything that occurs.” Of course, this would not include personal sin. We wouldn’t give thanks for a sin we committed or the repercussions we face as a result. But we should be thankful for the other things.
There are no exceptions, no excuses. Nothing is outside these parameters.
You might say, “My heart is not in it.”
It doesn't matter whether your heart is in it. This is about giving thanks because God is good. It’s about giving thanks because God is in control of your life. Give thanks because He’s in control of all circumstances surrounding your life.
The fact of the matter is that for the Christian, every day should be Thanksgiving, minus the turkey dinner, of course. Like Job, we can give thanks, even when times are hard.
Copyright © 2019 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
In thanks for your gift, you can receive a copy of Marvel at the Moon by Levi Lusko
In this fantastic 90-day devotional, author and pastor Levi Lusko uses illuminating stories, biblical teaching, and eye-opening surprises about outer space to show kids that they’re never alone because God is always with them. A copy of this beautifully illustrated book will be mailed to you when you make a gift of support to Harvest Ministries this month.
