” In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)
We’ve all heard this passage of scripture at one time or another. It says in everything, not for everything. Whatever circumstance you may find yourself in, find a reason to give thanks. You may be unemployed (at the moment). Thank God you have the ability and the mindset to want to work. Thank him that you are healthy and able bodied. Thank him for the opportunity to be interviewed, even though you were not selected. Thank him that he has something better for you and you walk in his favor. Your finances may be taking a serious hit right now. Thank God for what you have and that he gives you the wisdom and discipline to handle it properly. Thank him for your family and friends, things money cannot buy. Thank him for being God, who will never leave you or forsake you. Do you get the picture? Being saved does not make you exempt from life. Sometimes life just happens, and the difference between you and someone without Christ is the peace you have. This peace comes from what you know about the outcome. With God on your side you always win! What Satan wants us to do is to panic and react. That’s when we end up doing something that makes the situation worse. Or, we spend time complaining about the situation in which we find ourselves.
Take a look at verse nineteen of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5. It reads, “Quench not the Spirit.” At first glance, it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the verse prior. I always thought that this verse referred only to actions in the worship service. However, you will learn that the Bible is layered in truth and as you study it, God peels back layers that have gone previously undiscovered by you. I won’t take credit for this one first, but hereafter, I’ll act like I came up with it. Joyce Meyer provided what I believe is a revelation that we might want to look at.
There’s a time between what you’ve been praying for, and the manifestation of it. It is very important that during that time we don’t quench the work of the Holy Spirit by what comes out of our mouths. She said to complain is to remain. Mmm. I wonder if we could have seen results a lot sooner had we thanked God while waiting rather than speaking negatively. I can’t count the number of times the Holy Spirit has spoken to someone concerning me. I’m equally confident that I missed out on some quick manifestations because of what I had been saying. So during our waiting time, we should be thanking God for what he is doing even though there is no physical evidence of anything going in our favor. How comforting it is to know that God is “up to something”. After all he is omnipotent, omnipresent, oniscient. He knows more people than you do. He knows how to arrange a blessing in your path that overtakes you. Saints, God’s got your back. He keeps telling us, “I got this!!” So when Satan tries to fill our minds with doubt and unbelief, don’t sign for the package. Return to sender, and thank God for what he is working on behind the scenes.
© Fredrick F. Nicholson all rights reserved.
