GIVING THANKS IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

GIVING THANKS IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

NOTE:  This article came from the book Family Life and Marriage Bible by Dennis and Barbara Rainey

DURING TIMES OF TROUBLE, Barbara and I have learned a simple, four-word principle for handling problems, “In everything give thanks” (1Thess.5:18).  King David expressed the same principle centuries before when he wrote,”Save us, O God of our salvation; gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in Your praise” (1Chron.16:35).

This isn’t a simplistic excuse to put your head in the sand and ignore reality.  On the contrary, I believe it’s a step of faith in dealing with the storms of life—and that includes the little things as well as the big challenges.

Giving thanks in everything means that you have to ask yourself, “Is God really involved in the details of my life?”  Could God possibly want to teach you something through a flat tire, a kids runny nose, or a Lego-covered floor?  Does he really want to be a part of every moment of your day or is he willing to settle for the 9:30 to noon slot on Sunday morning?

So the next time you face an interruption or things are unraveling at a high rate of speed, try giving thanks to God in all things.  Those four little words express our belief that God knows what He is doing and that He can be trusted.

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