‘In every thing give thanks...’
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Author Barbara Johnson was frazzled; she was running late,
and on the bus to work she had to stand. Her attitude was going downhill fast
when a cheery voice from the front of the bus announced, ‘Beautiful day, isn’t
it?’ She couldn’t see the man, but she listened to his commentary as he
described the lovely scenery…this church…that park…a cemetery…a firehouse. His
grateful attitude lightened the mood of everybody around him. Then as Johnson
got off the bus she caught a glimpse of the speaker: an average-looking man
wearing dark glasses and carrying a white stick! Paul said, ‘In everything give
thanks, for this is the will of God.’ We don’t thank God for trials, we thank
Him in them. Gratitude is like a boomerang. It blesses the recipient, makes a
180-degree turn and blesses the person who gives thanks. One Bible teacher
says: ‘Whatever crisis there is in your life, before it ever came God made sure
you’d be able to endure it…others have gone through exactly what you’re going
through…and made it through victoriously…with every temptation God promised to
“’‘…make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians
10:13). Trials and “’‘escape ways” are inseparable. But the devil doesn’t want
you to know that, so every time you go through a test, he tells you there’s no
way out. I learned long ago when the devil keeps pressuring me, it’s always an
indication that “the way out” is about to be revealed…We need to do what God
says. “Rejoice!” Remember, “…The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah
8:10). When you have His joy, it gives you strength for the journey’.(UCB)
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