Boy Oh Boy, Are We Blessed….So Remember to be Thankful!

Thankful in all things?!?!?

I’ve been struggling with some respiratory and sinus issues since mid-November. Am I ready for this “thorn” to be gone, most definitely. Do I see blessings in this time? I definitely didn’t, but as time continues to go, I see how my thinking is changing when dealing with a more chronic issue. I should know how to deal with chronic issues…I’ve been dealing with fibromyalgia for over 10 years now, but this…why this. It’s all in my head, right!!!!


“Always giving thanks to God the father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” What encouraging words Paul said to his audience in Ephesus and he continues to say to us in the scriptures Ephesians 5:20.


Notice in the above statement. He said to be “thankful” for EVERYTHING!!!! That’s very easy to say, but can we or do we put this in practice? Several years ago I had the privilege to create and teach a study on  the book of Titus. At that time I spent ample time on Chapter 2:3-5. One of the things that we found is that we must accept God’s high calling for all the characteristics that are listed in Titus and within the text of those characteristics we are to be self-controlled/disciplined, and ready to serve, from the heart, whenever the opportunity arises. As older women (and we are all older than someone) we must set our minds on good things and seeing events, whether a terribly difficult situation or just an unexpected happening. We then have the opportunity to exercise our given calling with the choices we make to deal with the event. All this to say…giving thanks in everything!!! What a task before all of us, but yet again another high calling for us as Christians.


How do I do it you may be thinking, (I know I've thought that) when I’ve suffered such loss throughout so many situations? I truly believe when we encounter unexpected severe losses, we may never receive the answer while we are here on earth, but we, in time, see the hope (Hold On Past Earth)  in receiving the answer when we see Jesus face to face in heaven!!


SO, the question again, how do I handle it while I’m here on earth!!!


Jesus gave us an example to follow, for He gave thanks in the blackest of circumstances: He gave thanks for the bread and wine that He served His disciples at their last meal before His death. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, GAVE THANKS and broke it…saying, “Take & eat; this is my body.’Then he took the cup, GAVE THANKS and offered it to them…” How could Jesus THANK God for His own broken body and spilled blood? The only possible way: by looking at suffering and death with eyes (self-controll/displine) that saw the “Big Picture”, the eternal perscpective.


Isn’t it the same for you and me? The only way we can always be thankful is to look at the difficult circumstances from God’s perspective and the examples that He provided for us in His Word. Easy to say, but as I mentioned above, we must rely on the hope of the answer and live according to that promise. This is how Paul can say to us today…”giving thanks to everything….in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. By giving thanks through Christ, he is our mediator and buffer of the times when we don’t know why and though we’re distraught, we must and can realize that He is working out the situation, as we continually give it to Him in prayer, to the ultimate good from the eternal perscpective.


Through the Psalms and David’s writings we learn lesons on living life. What a prayer warrior David was. He was continually thankful in all aspects of his life. The psalms of struggle and despair always lead back to thankfulness and hopefullness of the later reward of blessings. I found a comtempary praise psalm that David might have written if alive today.  Again, I would love to give credit to the author, which in my findings is unknown.

Praise the Lord

Praise God in the glorious sunshine;

Praise Him in the freezing drizzle.

Praise Him as you drive to church;

Praise Him as you drive to the dentist.

Praise Him in the checkout line;

Praise Him in freeway traffic.

Praise God on the job;

Praise Him on vacation.

Praise Him on pyaday and as you make the house payment.

Praise God when you open your eyes in the morning;

Praise Him when you can’t shut them at night.

Praise Him for take-out food and elegant dinners.

Praise Him for computers and E-mail.

Praise God when you’re 13

Praise Him when you’re 93.

Praise Him in the racket of a family gathering;

Praise Him in the quietness of a lonely room.

Praise God through your music.

Praise Him with your heart and voice—

Or in silence.

Let EVERTHING that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

The day that lies ahead of you—or the one you just finished may be stormy and overcast. A Texas newspaper editor, William A. Ward, once said, “God gave you a gift of 86, 400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “THANK YOU”!


So though the uncomfortable situation we may be experiencing right now feels like it isn’t going way. Give Thanks! As I said earlier, I’ve been trying to find the “good” in my current health situation. Surprisingly, (if I truly believe what I’ve written above, I shouldn’t say suprisingly), I am seeing blessings in this struggle. Would I like to be “back to normal”, most definitely, but am I learning more about myself through this event, definitely, will it help me in the future, again a resounding YES. Have I prayed more specifically about this and my been reliance on His Will, YES, YES, YES!! I am thankful, YOU BET I AM!!!


~Tina