40 Days of Thanks - 02
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of THANKSGIVING
Day 2 | IN EVERYTHING!
40 Days of THANKSGIVING
Day 2 | IN EVERYTHING!
IN EVERYTHING!
1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
This is one of my favorite verses… and the focus of a sermon series, “Nine Words,” in which we also covered verses 16 and 17: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks.” (Get it? Nine words.)
Notice it does not say FOR everything, but rather IN everything. So you might wonder, “Is there a difference?” To which I would answer, YES.
Bad things always happen in our lives as we live in a broken, sinful world. The refrigerator breaks, the car blows a tire, a child comes down with some bug, and on and on. The way I read this verse is that I need not be thankful FOR my child getting sick (or whatever) but in the midst of whatever, I can be thankful anyway.
There are always things for which we can be thankful. Always.
We live in such a plentiful country, for example, that most people honestly don’t know what it is to be without. For instance, do you have food in the fridge? (Give thanks to God). Do you have a place to sleep tonight? (Give thanks to God). Do you have friends? (Give thanks to God). Well… you get the idea.
IN EVERYTHING, despite everything.
The Amp Bible puts it this way: “In every situation [no matter what the circumstances], be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”
Don’t despair if you find that giving thanks doesn’t come automatically or naturally. As you continue to read (or listen to) these 40 days, we pray that it becomes more natural for you.
Prayer: Thank You Lord, for my life, my family, my friends, and all that with which you’ve blessed me, amen.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
This is one of my favorite verses… and the focus of a sermon series, “Nine Words,” in which we also covered verses 16 and 17: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks.” (Get it? Nine words.)
Notice it does not say FOR everything, but rather IN everything. So you might wonder, “Is there a difference?” To which I would answer, YES.
Bad things always happen in our lives as we live in a broken, sinful world. The refrigerator breaks, the car blows a tire, a child comes down with some bug, and on and on. The way I read this verse is that I need not be thankful FOR my child getting sick (or whatever) but in the midst of whatever, I can be thankful anyway.
There are always things for which we can be thankful. Always.
We live in such a plentiful country, for example, that most people honestly don’t know what it is to be without. For instance, do you have food in the fridge? (Give thanks to God). Do you have a place to sleep tonight? (Give thanks to God). Do you have friends? (Give thanks to God). Well… you get the idea.
IN EVERYTHING, despite everything.
The Amp Bible puts it this way: “In every situation [no matter what the circumstances], be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”
Don’t despair if you find that giving thanks doesn’t come automatically or naturally. As you continue to read (or listen to) these 40 days, we pray that it becomes more natural for you.
Prayer: Thank You Lord, for my life, my family, my friends, and all that with which you’ve blessed me, amen.
Posted in Thanksgiving