Yet
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it,” wrote Charles Swindoll, a pastor in the Dallas, TX area. Being transparent, I had to look that up because I had no idea who the quote was attributed to, and it was of great interest because it is a philosophy of life I have used multiple times. It reminded me that I have no control over the things that may happen to me, but I have full control over how I respond to it. So, while today may not have been the best day, I was encouraged. It came not because I got good news or not struggling with something. In fact, there was not any good news to speak of and there were some struggles ahead. Yet, I was simply reminded that God is with me, and with that knowledge, I knew that what followed would ultimately be for my benefit and not determinant.
A prime example of how our reactions dictate our perspective relates to failure. When one fails, they might be discouraged from their not achieving a goal or not being able to reaching a desired position. However, what if we looked at failure differently? The perspective changes from what we did not achieve to what do we gain and what we did not get to what did we learn. You see, a simple shift in our reaction makes the situation sound more positive and optimistic. The goal I did not achieve or position I did not reach takes on added meaning when we add one word; yet.
Being thankful in all circumstances is remembering that God is with you every step of the way. Paul laid out such a wonderful framework for how we a Christ followers should respond to many things in 1 Thessalonians 5. The one thing I focused on was the words encourage and thankful. What do those words have to do with each other? Again, this is where perspective comes into play. If I encourage others, I am working against something that is negative. Paul wrote, “Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14) I read the entire verse as one of encouragement even though the word is somewhat lost in the middle. This relates to encouraging others, and for that to be possible, one themselves must be encouraged. Being joyful, prayerful, and thankful are components of an encouraged heart. Being thankful means that you are always encouraged no matter the circumstance. It is like reading a Dr. Phil book. You can only change something when you realize the change starts within you. Knowing God is the source of our strength, no circumstance or situation can arise without our not being thankful.
Having God in our lives is always positive. No matter if we can find the greatest success or even an epic failure, we can always look to God and remember that our circumstances are laid before us as part of a bigger purpose. It is that we are contributors toward His Kingdom. Let us remember this as we take a glass half full approach to those things life throws at us. Who can you be of encouragement to today? How can you apply a spirit of thankfulness to your current situation or circumstances? My prayer is that we are thankful God for both what He has given and what He has not given … yet. Amen.