By Megan Villena
In times like these, it's easy to murmur and complain about our circumstances. There's this song, I think I may have heard it in Sunday School or at a youth camp, where the verses compare us today to the Israelites complaining in the wilderness. And, in a jaunty tune the chorus says:
Ain't God good to give us so many blessings
Undeserving, that's what we are
We ought to thank Him, love, and praise Him
A little more today and a whole lot more tomorrow
God charges us to always be thankful. Thinking about who we are and the state of grace in which we now live should provide a perspective more compelling than the pessimistic current we can readily fall into.
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
God is faithful in His goodness for every situation. If God's always good, we shouldn't just be thankful when we get what we want or times are easy. So we should make time to thank God for all that is good in your life. Be thankful for what God takes away as well as His provision and remember that God is beyond our present situation and is in control.
It's easy to be thankful when good things happen to you. Honestly, though, it's difficult to always be thankful (and that was the case for some even before now). However, when we remain focused on God and count our blessings we may surprise ourselves at the generous number of things we have to give thanks for.
Corrie ten Boom, who lived through one of the most challenging times this world has faced, phrased it well: Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. We know these times are uncertain, but God is the unfailing constant in every situation. When we acknowledge that God is steadfast regardless of the events surrounding us, then we can genuinely be thankful in all circumstances.
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