Thanksgiving in the Sour Season
- Admin
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
April 15, 2025
"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)
It is natural to associate Thanksgiving with good times – when things are going well, when prayers are answered, when doors open, and when blessings overflow. In such moments, it feels natural to say, "Thank You, Lord." But what about when life throws unexpected difficulties our way?
It might be surprising to realize that Jesus never promised a life free of challenges. Instead, He warned us to expect the opposite. He said in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." The reality of suffering does not indicate an absence of God’s love; rather, it is often a refining process, much like the pruning of a tree. When a gardener prunes a tree, he removes dead and unnecessary branches so that the tree can bear more fruit. Likewise, God sometimes allows difficulties to prune us, making us more fruitful in our faith.
We do not thank God for the difficult situation itself, but we thank Him in it.
Job, a man who lost everything, did not curse God. Instead, he declared in job 1:21, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." His response was one of unwavering faith, acknowledging that even in pain, God remains sovereign. Similarly, Paul did not merely write, "Rejoice always" in 1 Thessalonians 5:16; he and Silas practiced it, even from the depths of a prison cell as recorded in Acts 16:24-25.
God is calling us to a deeper understanding of thanksgiving – one that is not tied to our circumstances, whether good or bad, but is instead rooted in trust in Him. We do not thank God for the difficult situation itself, but we thank Him in it, knowing that He is still working all things together for our good. - Romans 8:28. This is how we align ourselves with the will of God concerning any matter.
On the other hand, murmuring and complaining attract destruction. Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:10, warns against grumbling because it creates a spiritual atmosphere where things do not work as they should. Complaining can draw us into deeper troubles. We were created to praise God, and when we operate outside that purpose, we stray from His will.
Today, take a moment to reflect on how you respond in difficult seasons. Can you thank God and remain in a posture of thanksgiving even when things do not go as planned or expected?
Song of Worship
Today, I will lift my hands in praise
For I know you are always there for me
Almighty God, you are my all in all
No matter what comes my way
I will praise the Lord.
Prayer - Lord, help me to trust You in all circumstances. Teach me to offer thanksgiving, not just when things are sweet, but even in sour seasons, knowing You are pruning me for greater fruitfulness. Amen.