A Bit of Practice

I don’t know about you, but 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is challenging at times, especially in hard seasons. When I’m in the middle of a trial, I tend to feel worn down, weary, scared, angry, or even hopeless. How on earth do we give thanks when we feel those things?

It takes practice. If we believe that God uses all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28) and that trials are used to make us more like Christ (James 1:2-4), we can thank Him for that. We can give thanks through the pain and suffering, not because we’re thrilled to be walking in the trial itself, but because we believe God is good and trust that He will use the challenges in life to make us more like Christ. We give thanks not for the trial but because of what God will do with it.

That is hard. It's not our natural instinct. But with a bit of practice, it gets easier to identify trials and to be thankful for the work God will do through them.

Are you in the middle of a trial today? Let’s get a little practice in by taking time to thank God for His work in us through the trials in our lives.

Father, I don’t know what I’m supposed to learn from this challenging season. I don’t know what good will come from it, but I trust You. I know that You are good and that You will use this for my good. Thank You for that. Please give me the strength to endure. Thank You for the work You are doing in me. In Jesus’ name, amen.