Guest Post by Abigail Burle
Are you thankful?
It’s a fair question that can send us running to Jesus with open arms or cause us to become filled with grief and anger.
If you find yourself in the latter, you are in good company, and there is good news.
How are we supposed to be thankful in all circumstances when some of those circumstances include: a new diagnosis, chronic pain, suicidal thoughts, loss of a family member, living in poverty, riddled with anxiety, living a life that you didn’t sign up for, a child being bullied, a relationship being threatened with divorce, abuse, or being lonely?
The good news is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Did you hear that? Be thankful “in” not be thankful “for.” We have a false belief that we should be thankful for suffering, death, or hard times, when in reality, what God has called us to do is to be thankful “in” all circumstances. So how does this change things for us?
It changes everything, just as Jesus promised it would. It changes what we believe about thankfulness because being thankful is an act that overflows from your heart’s response to gratefulness. Being grateful is rooted in who Christ is and Him making you new. When we are grateful for who Christ is, what He has done for us, and the belief that God loves us and He is good no matter the circumstance or season in front of us, then and only then can we speak and act with thankfulness in all circumstances.
Being grateful in our spirit overflows into thankfulness during this Holiday season. So let’s be people who are thankful in all circumstances because of who Christ is and what He has done.
Abigail Burle
Ryan, Abigail, Maggie, Max, and Miller Burle