Living with an Eye for Opportunity part 3:
The Opportunity to be Thankful in Trials
I was once reading a book that said when things are going wrong we should thank the Lord for the things that are going wrong. For example, if you have cancer, you should thank God for the cancer. Initially, I was repelled by the idea of this.
James 1:17 says that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above . . . I would not consider cancer a good and perfect gift. How can someone be thankful for it?
For some reason, it stuck in my mind and I decided I would try it the next time something bad happened. Well, having four kids, things are not catastrophic, but it doesn't take very long for things to go wrong. My son fell down and scraped himself on the knee. So, I followed advice and I thanked the Lord. I didn't know why I was thankful but as I went to go pick him up I prayed dear Lord, thank you that my son scraped himself on the knee. And an amazing thing happened as I prayed and thanked the Lord I thought of plenty of reasons to be thankful. I said thank you that this is an opportunity to hold and baby my son. Thank you for the opportunity to show him I love him and put everything else I am doing aside. Thank you that he is not hurt worse.
Every time I thanked God he was faithful to give me the why. The children spilled their drink and I prayed Lord thank you that this is an opportunity to be patient with my kids and not be angry over an accident. Thank you that I can model good behavior with your help. Thank you for the grace and mercy you have over me when I make mistakes.
I was taking the opportunity of turning a bad situation into a thankful situation and it was completely changing the way I saw things. Praise the Lord!
Later, I realized this is all very biblical.
Romans 5:3-5 KJV
And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
The New Living Translations says:
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
James 1:17 says that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above . . . I would not consider cancer a good and perfect gift. How can someone be thankful for it?
For some reason, it stuck in my mind and I decided I would try it the next time something bad happened. Well, having four kids, things are not catastrophic, but it doesn't take very long for things to go wrong. My son fell down and scraped himself on the knee. So, I followed advice and I thanked the Lord. I didn't know why I was thankful but as I went to go pick him up I prayed dear Lord, thank you that my son scraped himself on the knee. And an amazing thing happened as I prayed and thanked the Lord I thought of plenty of reasons to be thankful. I said thank you that this is an opportunity to hold and baby my son. Thank you for the opportunity to show him I love him and put everything else I am doing aside. Thank you that he is not hurt worse.
Every time I thanked God he was faithful to give me the why. The children spilled their drink and I prayed Lord thank you that this is an opportunity to be patient with my kids and not be angry over an accident. Thank you that I can model good behavior with your help. Thank you for the grace and mercy you have over me when I make mistakes.
I was taking the opportunity of turning a bad situation into a thankful situation and it was completely changing the way I saw things. Praise the Lord!
Later, I realized this is all very biblical.
Romans 5:3-5 KJV
And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
The New Living Translations says:
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
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