When we look for things to be thankful for and focus on, that struggle eases. And when you look back on it, you can be grateful for it, too.
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” Romans 5:3-4
In one of my study Bibles, the caption above these verses reads, “Faith triumphs in trouble.” It’s hard to imagine being thankful for the suffering or “tribulations” some versions describe.
However, we can enjoy a new perspective on rejoicing when we face tribulation, because of the benefits we gain from responding properly to suffering. The Greek word for tribulation can mean pressure.
Paul encourages us to rejoice in these pressures because they produce perseverance, the spirit that actively meets and overcomes life’s difficulties.
Next, endurance produces character, and when character has withstood the test of life and comes out victorious, hope arises from God’s eternal love and power.
As you face your sufferings today, think of ways to rejoice and be thankful for them.
“I will always bless the Lord; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1
Is your heart quick to praise God through every circumstance? King David went through many trials and hard times, but when he did, he turned to praise to get him through.
In Psalm 34, we see an expression of Thanksgiving for God’s protection and care for those who trust Him.
A title before Psalm 34 connects the Psalm to 1 Samuel 21:10-15, where David is saved from danger by pretending to be insane in the presence of King Abimelech of Gath.
David neither takes credit for his narrow escape nor denies the importance of the faithful using their wits in desperate situations.
When God blesses someone, He speaks a good word that leads to that person’s well-being. When we bless God, we speak well of God’s kindness and generosity.
Being thankful turns into blessing God.
“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” Philippians 4:12
We are familiar with Philippians 4:13 and recite it in many situations. But when we read and learn more about the verses before it, it takes on a deeper meaning.
When Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians, he was in prison. In the last part of his letter, he expresses profound gratitude yet uses it to teach more about God’s providence and provision and the expectancy and contentment of the believer who waits on the Lord.
We are to be content not with circumstances but in the circumstances.
Paul did not have this faith at birth, but it was painfully and tediously developed by walking with the Lord. So he learned to be content with anything, to live above things, and to be unaffected by circumstances.
How can you be like Paul, practice contentment, and be thankful in abundance and need?
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” Psalm 100:4
This short Psalm is a Psalm of Thanksgiving that emphasizes the joy of praising the Lord. As we sing this song, we praise and worship the Lord because He alone is God and the Creator.
We are dependent on him. God is also the Good Shepherd who cares for His people, and His mercy and truth extend to all generations.
I encourage you in your troubles to begin worshipping and offering God a thankful heart for who He is and what He has done.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to be thankful when you trust God? The more grateful you are, the easier it is to trust God.
Trusting in the Lord is necessary for following the wise ways of life taught in Proverbs. It is closely connected to fearing Him (Proverbs 1:7). Do not lean on your own understanding, which further explains what it means to trust the Lord.
The wise will govern themselves by what the Lord himself declares. They do not trust their own finite and often mistaken understanding if it opposes God’s word.
Trusting God in every circumstance helps us develop a heart of gratitude. Whenever we struggle, find a way to trust God and thank Him for His faithfulness in carrying us through.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11
For the faithful, singing or reading Psalm 16 entrusts us to the Lord; we experience confidence and contentment in His care.
The Psalm uses imagery from Israel’s land allocation under Joshua to express contentment in this life and look forward to everlasting life in God’s presence.
Our path is narrow, but it is the one the Lord provides and makes known to us so we will have a life of faithfulness.
The goal is to enjoy and be in God’s presence, and once this earthly life is over, we will reach its fullness in the world to come.
A lifelong fellowship with God brings great joy.
“Jesus then took the loaves, and when he gave thanks, he distributed them to those seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.” John 6:11
30 or 40 years ago, families used to sit around the table for dinner. It was a time to be together and to offer thanks for their blessings.
Now, families are so busy that meals are often fast food, or they eat at different times because of schedules, and we miss that opportunity to be thankful together as a family.
When Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount, he saw that the people were hungry. When his disciples brought him the five loaves and two fish, he set everyone down and then gave thanks for the blessing they were about to see.
But that day, it wasn’t about the loaves of bread and the fish. Jesus showed the people then and us now that He is our bread of life. Every need we have, every trial we face, and every joy we experience is provided for and completed in Him.
Jesus is our example of how to give thanks for the smallest blessing and to believe that God will provide bountiful leftovers in the future.
As you read through these, I hope you find daily encouragement and ways to be thankful. Last week, I shared how to be thankful in an uncertain world, and I have more for next week.
The pictures are from my 30-Day Gratitude Challenge Journal. If you would like to join me in this challenge, sign up for my email, and we will find ways to be thankful each day.
Romans 5
Psalm 34
1Samuel 21:10-15
Philippians 4:10-20
Psalm 100
Psalm 16
John 6:1-15
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ROM.5.3-4
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PSA.34.1
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PHP.4.12
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PSA.100.4
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PRO.3.5
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PSA.16.11
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.6.11
