Hope for the Hurting with Dr Mel

Thankful Circumstances

Thankful in All Things

It’s been a hard year and you have had to deal with so much pain and loss over these months. You may not be feeling thankful this year. You could have thoughts running through your mind such as I know I am supposed to be thankful for everything. Should I be thankful for losing my job? How can I be grateful when my loved one passed away? Do I really need to be thankful my son is incarcerated? 

It is a normal response to find it difficult to count blessings amid the pain of life. Yet, giving thanks in all things is just what we are directed to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NIV). “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

The directive is to give thanks in all circumstances, yet many interpret and quote this passage as saying ‘give thanks for all circumstances’. These two words carry very different meanings and make all of the difference as you express your gratitude to God. Despite how difficult the year has been and how dire the circumstances, we can still express thankfulness to God. Not for our circumstances, but for God being who He is and all of the blessings He has bestowed upon us. 

Ponder for a moment the attributes of God, all He has done and is doing for you. You will be able to thank Him in your circumstances, because He promises to never leave or forsake you. His eye is upon you. The righteous are never forsaken and left begging for bread. His eye is on the sparrow. Weeping may endure for a nighttime, but joy comes in the morning. His plans are to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future. Literally hundreds of reasons to give thanks come to mind, despite our most difficult circumstances. 

Count Your Blessings

Perhaps you’ve suffered tremendous financial loss this past year. You may have bill collectors calling your phone daily and have no answers on when you will be able to make payments. Has the Lord taken care of you? In what ways has He blessed you? Perhaps you’ve accessed a local food pantry or someone provided groceries for you. Can you recall the unexpected sale you found on those items you needed? You can thank God for all of the blessings He has given during your time of hardship. Biblically speaking, you don’t need to thank him for the circumstances, but for the ways you’ve been blessed. 

Many of us have suffered the loss of loved ones during this past year as the pandemic continues around the globe. The Lord would never expect you to be thankful for those losses. Again, the key is to find the blessings in the midst of the grief and loss. Perhaps someone has cooked meals and brought them to your home. Maybe you’ve been the recipient of a flood of sympathy cards and notes. Did someone come alongside you and hold your hand or text you daily? Express your thankfulness to the Lord for the acts of kindness. 

What about the prodigal child you are still praying for? Should you be thankful for an estranged relationship? Grateful for the drugs supplied to them daily? For their poor choices resulting in prison time? By no means! Can you, however, express your thankfulness to the Lord for sustaining their lives? For surrounding them with His presence when you cannot be there? For His protection over them while they are in locations less than reputable? 

Scriptures Guide Gratitude

These are but three examples I am aware of in the lives of many women I encounter daily. I could continue listing them down the page but it is more beneficial for you to spend some time studying Scriptures and applying them to your specific situation. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Chronicles 16:34 (ESV) Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!

Hebrews 12:28 (NIV) Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

Philippians 4:4 (NIV) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 

Psalm 118:24 (ESV) This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 107:1 (ESV) Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! 

As You Gather

This year, as you gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, remember to celebrate the greatest gift of all — salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.