Be Real - Thankful in All Circumstances
Today, we will continue our study of 1 Samuel in our series “Be Real.” Our desire is to be people who have real relationships with God evidenced by the fruit of our lives. As the motto of our series goes, the fruit don’t lie! The fruit of my life reveals who I really am and ultimately if I know and love God. Today, we are going to take a brief break away from 1 Samuel and deal with an important topic that applies to our current circumstance with the Covid-19 pandemic and with any circumstance we face.
What is our attitude and response to the circumstances we find ourselves in? Do we find ourselves quickly slipping into complaining or are we even quicker to give thanks? The reality of the human experience is that difficult people and situations tend to reveal our character (who we are) and this impacts how we act (complain or be thankful). Circumstances are opportunities to develop character and also to reveal where growth is needed. Today, our study will take us to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 where we find the Apostle Paul giving some concluding thoughts in his letter to the believers in Thessalonica.
Each verse has a key action that we as followers of Jesus need to take on a daily basis.
(v. 16) Rejoice always – the encouragement in this verse is that we are to be glad at all times! Why rejoice? Because God has provided salvation through Jesus Christ. We can rejoice at all times because we no longer are under the eternal wrath of God. (see 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11). I can rejoice, even in unfavorable circumstance, because I am a friend of God through Jesus.
(v. 17) Pray without ceasing – why pray? as we encounter various circumstances, a key method we can engage to ensure we rejoice, is to communicate with God! Specifically, when I face a circumstance where I have little control and the outcome is unknown, I need to lean into the One who has control and knows the outcome. “To pray is to accept that we are, and always will be, wholly dependent on God for everything (Tim Keller, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God).”
(v. 18) Give thanks in all circumstances – Why give thanks? We give thanks because we have reason to rejoice and we have access to God through prayer! God is with us and He hears us in all circumstances. When we are thankful our attention is fixed on the blessings we have in life (God’s provisions) instead of all the things we want. It is okay to want what God hasn’t provided…so long as I am rejoicing in the time of waiting, communicating with God, and having a thankful heart for what has already been given.
Be Real – it takes intentional effort and work to be thankful in all circumstances. Let’s be mindful of God’s gracious provisions up to this point and trust He will continue to meet our needs.
Consider how this might apply to your life:
What reasons do I have to be thankful during this Covid-19 pandemic? I personally am thankful for the extra time I get to have with Naomi and Brayden as I work from home.
Identify the things that you need and communicate them to God.
