REALLY?

In everything give thanks;

for this is the will of God

in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I Thessalonians 5:18

As I look at our country in general, I see a country, made up of thousands and thousands of people who have little if any gratitude or appreciation for being so blessed in so many ways. We all are loaded with benefits we never even give consideration for. Not everyone is rich nor poor. All of us living and breathing have individual cares and problems and often focus on them instead of all the wonderful blessings we do have.

Note that we are commanded to have spirits of thanksgiving. It's odd that we usually concentration on that during the last week of November. We then just hurry on to December, getting ready for Christmas. I see no where in the above verse where there is a date attached to our having thankful spirits. This thing of thanks is supposed to be a consistent ongoing part of our lives every moment.

For me, the catch is the word EVERYTHING. All of us have our share of problems, disappointments, hurts, illness and troubles that come and go. How in the world do we work up gratitude for those things. Perhaps we aren't reading the verse quite right or as for me, slow in catching on.

When it comes to our thanksgiving toward God, I don't believe He expects me to thank Him with great bravado if I'm facing a critical surgery or if I've been in a serious car accident or even if my income doesn't match my outgo. However, I do think we can be thankful not for those things but in and during those things. We have a heavenly Father who loves us dearly, never forsakes us and does more for us than we can imagine. Yes, in everything we can give thanks, not necessarily for but in it all.

Thank You Father for getting us through the rough times and for all the benefits that are ours because of Your goodness in our lives. Forgive our ingratitude and help us to stay focused on Your every blessing. Through Jesus...Amen