Pray, Praise, Thank, Repeat!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ."
Have you ever woken up one morning and absolutely everything that could go wrong does? I know I have. On several occasions, I can recall waking up late, only to spill my coffee down the front of the outfit I had just put on, getting stuck behind a slow car, forgetting my lunch, only to come home to find the dog had chewed up my nice new pair of shoes. Sound familiar? Maybe your bad days don't look exactly like this one. Maybe your bad day has turned into a bad week or even a bad month. Maybe you're having family problems, financial problems, or even just feeling alone in this world. Nevertheless, being thankful for these moments may seem like a far cry from how we truly feel.
In Paul's first letter to the people of Thessalonica, he encouraged them to rejoice, pray and give thanks to the Lord in all circumstances. Why would he say something like this? He said this because God doesn't just send us the good times, but he sends us the difficult ones too. Oftentimes, God uses trials, tribulations, pain, and afflictions to purge us of our inmost beings and even teach us valuable lessons. There could even be something inside of us that is hindering growth in our relationship with the Lord. This could look like an unintentional (or even intentional) sin, a bad habit that needs to be kicked, or he may even see that we're heading down a dark path and need guidance. It's in these bad days, these desolate times, these periods of lack where we should simply remain still and be thankful. Constantly praising and praying to the one who has not only brought us to them but will lead us out of them better than we were before. I encourage you today to remain thankful and in prayer in all circumstances, just as Paul did. Praise be to the God who loves us enough to shed light on our darkness and constantly call us closer to him.
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