Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that we should give thanks in all circumstances. But do we? I mean who wants to give thanks when they are hurting or discouraged? Last week I learned that the Hebrew word for gratitude means ” to recognize the good” Paul was not telling us to “feel” thankful in all circumstances, he was telling us to be thankful and recognize the good in all circumstances. You may ask what is the good? The good is that God is there with us and nothing we go through is greater than He that is within us. 2 Kings, chapter 6, verses 17-23 tells us how the Syrian King sent his army to capture Elisha the prophet. That night the army surrounded the city where Elisha was. Elisha’s young servant woke up and saw the Syrian army. He was afraid and asked Elisha what they should do. Elisha told the young man to not be afraid. He said that the army fighting for them was much bigger than the army fighting against them. Elisha then asked the Lord to show the young man what He saw. The Lord showed him a heavenly army with horses and chariots of fire to protect them. The Syrian army was blinded by the power of God. The world would say it’s about how you look at the glass of water; is it half full or half empty? Spiritually it’s about how you look at the situation, through natural eyes or through spiritual eyes as Elisha. When the Word of the Lord is combined with our earthly experience, we see things in a new way.
“give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
“Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
When we place our focus on God and begin to praise Him in difficult situations, even when we don’t feel like it, many times we will see glimpses of God’s glory in the situation. Of course we don’t see glory in the tragedy or pain, but we can still praise Him because we know He is there with us. Sometimes He calms the storm or sometimes He calms us in the storm, either way we can trust Him to do what is best for us. Gratitude and thanksgiving changes the lens through which we see a situation. It changes our perspective despite the circumstances.
“I will bless Yahweh at all times; his praise shall be in my mouth continually” (Psalm 34)
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (1 Chronicles 16:34)
When we praise God for who He is and thank Him for what He’s done, our perspective of Him grows larger and our problems grow smaller. As a result, we will experience a deeper sense of intimacy with God. And the emotional gap between what we know to be true becomes stronger than what we are feeling in the moment. On many occasions in the Psalms, David complained about his circumstances (Psalms 42; 57; 62), but in the same breath David would praise God for who He is and thanked Him for what He had done. Sometimes David shifted from depression to rejoicing. This is because he didn’t wait until God changed his situation, solved his problem, or made him feel better before he began thanking Him.
Our problems grow smaller as our perspective of God grows larger, and we begin to see clearly God’s glory shining through.
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. (Psalms 28:7)
“open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things from your law” (Psalm 119:18)
When we stop complaining and grumbling and begin speaking God’s Word and set our eyes on God instead of the situation, we will clearly see moments of His glory and evidence that He is there, that He has been there all along. And even though we may not understand what is going on, we see how the Lord is faithful and that we can trust in His goodness. God’s plans for us are greater than what we can ever ask or imagine. Love and Blessings…
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” (Ephesians 3:20)
EMMANUEL 