by Kevin Burton
This is not easy.
Chances are, your record in this regard is better than mine.
As Christians we are to be grateful to, and trusting of God, not just in the good times, but also in times of trial, sometimes severe trial.
“When you’re going through a trial, it’s natural to focus on what’s wrong. But we can miss something important: God’s presence in the middle of it,” reads a message from Dr. Charles Stanley, founder of In Touch Ministries.
“All of us face difficult seasons and challenges. And it’s natural to focus on the problem itself when you’re suffering from heartache, living through physical pain, or enduring a season of uncertainty,” Stanley wrote. “We look for a solution or a way of escaping, even temporarily, from the pain.”
“God, in His abounding love and perfect knowledge, understands your heartache completely. And He knows how to work out His best for you. As you wait on Him through your difficulty, remember His counsel:
“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:16-18).
“The psalmist offers this prescription for life:
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night” (Ps. 92:1-2).”
“We’re to begin the day with thanksgiving,” Stanley wrote, “continue through it praising Him, and conclude with gratitude for His faithfulness.”
“The Apostle Paul wrote: ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 4:6-7).”
“The instruction isn’t to thank Him for some things, but for all things,” Stanley wrote. “That means even if you lose your job, live in constant pain, or have conflicts within your family—give thanks. This is the will, purpose, and plan of God for every believer. It has nothing to do with how you feel about your situation.”
See, told you this wouldn’t be easy.
So I will do some writing and editing on this post. I will put it on the website and someday it will run.
And I’m pretty sure there will come an especially difficult time for me and my family, and God may have to say “practice what you preach.” Or in this case, practice what you publish.
Here’s Stanley’s take on how to put this thankfulness into practice:
How can I begin to thank God for what hurts me so deeply?
“Acknowledge that God walks with you on the path of gratitude. It takes the practice of saying, ‘Lord, even though I’m hurting deeply, even though I don’t understand things that are going on, You have a purpose in it. I thank You for Your good timing—and that You can show me Your ultimate purpose in this” Stanley wrote.
Consider the powerful impact gratefulness can have on every area of your life.
“Thankfulness keeps you continually aware of the presence of God—that you’re not alone. He is always with you, and you can talk to Him about your situation. “
“When you thank Him in every situation, you develop a stronger trust in God. You gain an assurance that God has it under control. Remember that God is always at work in your life, building your faith and helping you to transfer your focus from your circumstances to God. Jesus releases in us a divine energy to help us prevail.”
“Here’s something I’ve discovered, and I had to hurt desperately and get exhausted before I understood this: Giving thanks in all things will energize you when you’ve lost all strength,” Stanley wrote.
“Jesus begins to release something within you—an energy Paul wrote about when he said, ‘So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day’ (2 Cor. 4:16 ESV).”
“His power within you makes it possible for you to go through the darkness of that valley and come out on the other side victorious before Him. God won’t always change your circumstances, but He will use them to change you.”
“Adversity becomes a bridge to a deeper relationship with Him,” Stanley wrote. “And when you give thanks, you eventually recognize the overwhelming, powerful impact the Lord makes on every area of your life.”
“He can teach you awesome lessons through your troubles, and that may be His aim for you today. When praise and adoration for God are on your lips, you will see the difference Christ makes in your character, your witness, and your inner peace. You will gain a greater sense of His power and of His fullness permeating every part of your life.”
You know, being thankful in all things is definitely something I need to work on. However, I do often acknowledge that God uses even painful things to the good or things work out in some way that can be positive. I don’t know why my eyes had cancer in them and why I had to be blind. I do understand though that since I am blind, I have known completely different people than I would have known if I’d been sighted. I’ve been many places and done many things that I very likely would not have done if I had been sighted. Even though being blind presents certain frustrations and difficulties, I recognize my life and experience for being what it is and quite frankly would not change it, even if I could. People don’t understand that. My brain has shut down and doesn’t process anything visual. I do not see in my dreams. If I could suddenly see now, I’d have huge amounts of information that my brain would not know how to process. I would not know my colors and would not recognize faces just as a start. So, thank you, God for working things to the good, even when we can’t imagine how that will be.
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