Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in every situation because this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus. ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Here in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 it lays it all out pretty simply. Rejoice always. It doesn’t say, only when you feel joyful, it says rejoice ALWAYS. Pray continually, not just sometimes but in everything, I should be in prayer. Give thanks in every situation… hmm. That one is harder.
Last Sunday morning I got in the car to head to church. The car didn’t start. I am to be thankful in this Lord? Well, I could have been an hour from home like I had been a few days before. I could have been at the grocery store with frozen food melting in the trunk while I waited for help. So, I was thankful. I was thankful that this didn’t happen while I was visiting my parents in West TN, 6 hours away when I had a tight schedule for getting back, not just for the day I was traveling back but also for the next two days after I got back. The few days I was without a car I only had to rearrange a handful of things and for this I was thankful too. No, I wasn’t happy about having to spend money on my car for repairs but I was thankful that I had money to pay the repairman. I was also thankful that I have a repairman that I trust. After I thought about it, I realized that I had a lot to be thankful for in spite of my car troubles.
Because I took the time to look for the things that I was thankful for despite the car troubles and the impositions it caused, I was able to handle this “crisis” I little better this time.
Heavenly Father, help me to remember to rejoice always, to pray continually and to always remember to give thanks in every situation. Amen.
Pieces of the Puzzle 