1 Thessalonians 5:18 - "...in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you..."
Well, the Thanksgiving/Christmas Season is upon us! WOW, this year has flown by!! I'm writing this the day before Thanksgiving and thinking about how thankful I am! I saw this scripture this morning and thought about the Thanksgivings & Christmas' in the past that I didn't think I could be thankful! Have you been there?
Have you ever looked at that verse, and thought..."How can I do that, when I'm going through so much pain?" I think we probably all have at one time or another in our lives or will in the future! Notice, Paul didn't say to give thanks "for" everything but "in" everything, there is a huge difference! There have been times during past holidays that what I was "in" was not from God, it clearly went against what His Word says is His Will for me, but what was His Will, was for me to give Him thanks right in the midst of it!!
As hard as it was, I made the decision to obey and thank Him for being right "in" the midst of my pain with me!! Even though my circumstances were not "joyful" or "jolly", I still learned to give Him thanks and be joyful, not "for" what I was going through, that was the key, I was going "through" it , not setting up camp to stay there!! I knew His Word and knew that if I stood on what His Word said about my circumstance it had to change! Thanking Him and choosing to be joyful is a act of faith, and it is faith that opens the door to allow God into our pain/circumstance so He can change it by the power of His Word! When we only cry and complain during those hard times, we are welcoming fear into the circumstance and that is Satan's playground, believe me, I've learned the hard way!!
Whatever season you are "in" right now, find your answer "out" of it in the scriptures! Sickness, loneliness, financial issues, marital issues, grief from losing a loved one? Whatever it may be God has a way "out" of what you're "in" and the first step is to give Him thanks while you are still "in" it!! Ask Him to lead you to the scriptures that He knows will bring revelation to your spirit, so you can release your faith and come out of it!! Remember, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen!! Even though you can't see it now, doesn't mean it doesn't exist!!
I want to pray over you, if you are going through a difficult season of life right now..."I ask You Father in the Name of Jesus, for all those reading this, that are in a hard place & season in their life, that You by Your Holy Spirit will give them strength to obey Your Word and give You thanks even in their pain, and that they would feel Your love surrounding them even now! I thank you Father that Your Word holds the key to their healing & answer and that you lead them by Your Spirit to just the right verse that will bring hope and light into their situation. Thank You Father for hearing and answering our prayer today, in Jesus Name....Amen (So Be It)
May I be the first to say "MERRY CHRISTMAS" to you, because of Christ we have a reason to be joyful!!!
Until next time, may the Lord bless and keep you!
Your Sister in Christ - Kathy
