As I was reading my devotions this morning … it centered on the importance of “thankfulness.” This truly is a season of giving and being thankful. Today’s Scripture is from Psalm 100:4, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving.” God wants us to be thankful for all things – not just the things we choose to be thankful for – and enter His gates with thanksgiving. This means thankfulness for the good and the bad in life. It’s hard to be thankful for the tough times we all go through, and far easier to thank Him when things are going great. But God did not instruct us to thank Him only for the good. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” And Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Only unsettling and uncertain situations cause anxiety, but God tells us not be be anxious about anything, “….but in every situation” (meaning good and bad), “by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” He wants to hear from us, but He also wants us to be thankful, trusting that He has our best interests in mind, even if it means a time of difficulty and uncertainty.
Showing God gratitude and thankfulness for ALL situations is a profession of our faith in Him, knowing He is in control of our life. Sometimes trials and bad situations are a learning experience, and strengthening of faith, for what God has planned for our future. God loves each of us dearly and wants us to trust in Him regarding everything.
May we thank God for all things today and always!
