Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).
What words stand out the most to you in this verse?
Thankful?
God’s will?
What about the one word most of us tend to miss: all.
Because you are in Christ, you can be thankful in all circumstances.
Sure, it’s easy to be thankful for the good things that come along in life:
- You landed a new job. Thank God for that!
- The doctor just told you the cancer is gone. Thank you Jesus!
But what about the hard things?
- You just got fired…
- Your teenage son got his girlfriend pregnant…
- Your wife served you divorce papers…
Crickets.
But as much as we want to ignore it, that one little word is still there.
Be thankful in all circumstances…the good ones…and the bad ones.
But how in the world can God expect us to be thankful when crap hits the fan in our lives?
Because He will make all things work together for your good.
When you trust that God really can (and will) use all things—even the bad things—to bring you to a better place, it gives you hope, increases your faith, and allows you to respond with thankfulness.
Yes, it sucks that my addiction resulted in the end of my marriage. But God used that bomb in my life to bring me face-to-face with my own brokenness. The pain of my divorce, along with the realization that my sin had caused it, was what finally allowed me to recognize my need for a Savior.
If it weren’t for that “bad situation,” I don’t think I would know Jesus today in the way that I do. I would still be looking at porn, hurting my former wife, and desperately trying to control my life.
As crazy as it seems, I am thankful for the path my life has taken me—even for my divorce.
So the next time something bad happens in your life, remember that God has promised to make good come from it. You may not know how right away. You might not even get the answer this side of Heaven. But God has promised you that He will. So if nothing else, you can thankful for the fact that God will always keep His promises.
