Thanksgiving In The Midst Of Adversity

Thanksgiving should be a constant practice for believers, especially when things get tough. Dr. Stanley encourages us to remain thankful in the midst of adversity. With gratitude comes a whole host of benefits—greater awareness of His presence, increased trust, joy, decreased anxiety—that energize us when we feel beaten down.

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In touch, the teaching ministry of Doctor.
Charles Stanley, reaching the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Next on in touch, thanksgiving in the midst of adversity.
It’s one thing to be grateful when everything is going your way.
But when everything is not going your way, what is your response?
And sometimes we justify our wrong attitude, our ugly attitude, our ungrateful spirit by saying, well, god shouldn’t allow these things to happen to me or If god is who he says he is, he wouldn’t allow this to happen.
And they may look in the Bible and tell you, well, uh, there’s some parts of the Bible I don’t understand.
And so instead of rejoicing and praising god and thanking him for who he is and what he has done for you, Sometimes we let doubts sort of scatter our thoughts of thanksgiving.
But today, I want you to listen very carefully.
Because I wanna talk to you about why you should be a very grateful person.
What god is doing in your life, and the consequences of what he’s doing in your life.
And I want you to turn if you will to first thessalonians And, uh, Paul in, uh, first thessalonians, in this fifth chapter, he’s ending up this epistle And he comes to these latter verses, and he says a great deal in verse after verse.
But when you come to the sixteenth verse, there’s sort of a triad here, and he says three things.
He says number one, rejoice always. Is that easy? No, it’s not.
Then he says, pray without ceasing. Is that easy? Not not really.
Then he says in everything, give thanks for this is god’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Is that easy? No, it’s not.
So if you’ll notice in verse eighteen, he says, in everything give thanks.
Now hold it, hold your finger right there.
Go back to ephesians chapter five and look what he says in verse twenty. Then I’ll talk about the difference.
Verse twenty says, always giving thanks for all things in the name of our lord Jesus Christ to god even the father.
Now hold it right there. I’m going back in everything give thanks.
Always giving thanks for all things. Now this is where sometimes I think people get confused.
And if you are one of those persons who’s not a believer, not a Christian, you’d say see, There’s no way I could be a Christian if I have to give thanks for everything.
So let me just clarify something.
When Paul said in this passage, always giving thanks for all things in the name of the lord Jesus Christ.
Watch this. I can’t ask god or or or give thanks for things that are totally inconsistent with the nature of god.
For example, let’s say your little boy steps out in front of the car and gets killed.
Does god expect you to be happy and and and to thank him for that? No.
And for example, you go home from church and you have a note there from your husband, your wife, and one of them says, Well, I’m just leaving you a note to tell you that I’m leaving you, and I’m in love with somebody else, and I’m gonna get married.
And so this is End of their marriage. Does god expect you to be grateful? No?
And so then when Paul says in this, um, fifth chapter of thessalonians, He says in everything give thanks.
That is in every circumstance, I can give thanks for what?
That he’s my savior, my lord, my master, my god. Lord, I don’t understand why you allow this to happen.
But in the midst of this, I’m gonna give you thanks because I know that you’ll help me to survive.
You’ll help me to be able to bear the pain.
To get through the sorrow and the heartache and the loss and all the adversity I feel in my heart.
I’m gonna thank you that you’ll be with me in it. But I’m not thanking god for what happened.
Anything that is inconsistent with who god is. We don’t we don’t thank him for that.
That’s not what Paul’s thinking about.
He’s thinking about our relationship to him and that we can give thanks for whatever god allows in our life because we’re giving thanks to him.
Listen because of who Christ is within us.
Whatever he allows in our life, he will turn it for good because we read what else Paul said, and when he said god causes all things to work together for good.
Watch this to those who love him to those who called according to this purpose, even the most difficult trying heartbreaking things, he will turn for our good.
Do we always understand that? No. He didn’t say I had to understand it.
In fact, there’s an old gospel hymn will understand it better, by and by, by and by, not necessarily now.
But now, what Paul is referring to now in the midst of all this, we can be grateful to god.
So what I wanna do is I want us to think about Why should we be grateful to god in everything?
Number one, I’m gonna give you a list here.
It keeps us continually aware that we are walking in his presence, which contributes to a godly life by thanking him and everything I’m being continually reminded that I’m walking in his presence.
I’m not walking alone. So whatever I may hurt over, whatever I may weep over, whatever I may suffer loss about.
I know this, that I’m walking in his presence that I’m not doing it alone.
And if there’s one thing we need, when we’re going through turmoil and heartache and loss, of somebody we love or some situational circumstances.
There is something about being aware of the presence, in his presence, in everything, give thanks, even in the midst of it.
And so one of the reasons I should give thanks is because what does it do?
It contributes to a godly life because if I’m aware of his presence, then I’m thinking about how does god see this?
What is god promised me in the midst of this? How is he gonna work in this situation’s circumstance?
And so I think one of the primary reasons would he give thanks is it reminds us that we were walking in his presence and when you begin your day aware that you are walking in his presence, that he’s living on the inside of you, that no matter what happens during the day, it’ll happen in the presence of an all loving omnipotent omniscient omnipresent, holy god.
You’re walking in his presence. What could be finer than that? There’s a second reason, and that’s this.
That being grateful motivates us to look for his purpose in everything that happens.
If I’m grateful, I’m gonna look for his purpose. God, I don’t understand that.
And I think all of us can list some things in our life that have happened to us that we’d say, well, god, what are you up to?
He doesn’t watch this. He doesn’t expect us to figure that out.
In other words, god will sometimes reveal his purpose and sometimes he doesn’t Probably at some point in life, he will, but oftentimes you and I face circumstances that are shocked to us.
Well, god, I didn’t expect that. I didn’t anticipate that. Does that mean that god has forgotten you no?
Does that mean I’m to I’m to be grateful? Yes, I am.
Even though I don’t understand his purpose, I’m still to be grateful because he says he watched this he causes all things to work together for good.
To those who love him, Though those who are called according to this purpose, that is those who are walking in his will, he’ll turn it to good.
If you’re living in sin, if or or you get disappointed at something god does in your life and you say, well, God love me when let it happen and you decide to walk away from god, then you can’t claim that promise.
God, listen, god, who is this god?
The only person who can say this is almighty sovereign god of the universe. God, causes all things.
That’s what happened to you. That’s what happened to you. He causes all things to work together for good.
That is he’ll turn the worst kind of things of a good if I trust him.
And if I if I’m able to just say, well, god I don’t understand it. I don’t like it.
It’s painful. I feel the loss.
I I I this doesn’t fit what I think about you, but I’m gonna trust you.
Because you’re a loving god and I’m gonna thank you in spite of everything I feel.
You say, oh, that’s not real. You know when you’ll find out it’s real when you do it.
And sometimes we think, well, because I don’t feel it it’s not true. Listen.
God is the same when things are good. He’s the same when things are bad. He doesn’t change.
When he makes a promise, he keeps his promise. There’s a third reason by giving thanks.
Thanking him helps me trust him when I don’t understand why.
All of us have been through circumstances that we didn’t understand why.
He never promises to tell me why.
He promises to be with me no matter what.
Through it, to enable us, to face it, and to walk through it. That’s his promise.
And one thing about thanksgiving Thanksgiving reminds me and helps me to remember the fact that I don’t have to understand it I just have to be obedient in the process.
And then I think one other thing that happens is, It’s really essential in our rejoicing in the midst of suffering.
In other words, if I’m if if I’m gonna rejoice realistically, I gotta thank him. Watch this carefully.
The pain and hurt and suffering you may be going through may be so deep, so penetrating and so exhausting.
That when you tell god you’re grateful, you don’t feel it.
Well, how does god think about that? Here’s how god thinks about it.
I understand how you feel. I know you hurt I know your pain.
I know your suffering. I know when you tell me that it’s okay.
The that that’s only words because that’s all you’re capable of saying right now.
The wonderful thing about the loving god is this, when I can’t even express it, he hears it.
When I feel so shut out, so rejected, so hurt, so full of pain, and maybe it’s physical pain.
When my physical pain shouts louder than I can speak, one thing I know for sure, God hears me.
Don’t nobody else can. I can thank him. I can thank him no matter what.
Watch this. I can thank him with my lips, and that counts until I can thank him with my heart.
My soul, my spirit, my very being.
It all counts with him because he understands the depth of our hurt.
The reason I know why is because he understood what Jesus was feeling when he would stretch that on a cross and crying out my god, my god, of why have you forsaken me?
When I think about that I think about, he understands.
Maybe when I don’t feel it, and I’m not all that sincere about god, helping me, he understands.
He understood his son. He’ll understand you in me.
Then I think uh when you and I can say thank you god for difficult times there’s something about our witness, about our testimony that changes.
And so when you can say to someone, you know, I’ve been there.
Or when you can say, I know what it means to walk in your steps.
And I can tell you. I understand why you don’t believe. I understand why you’re hurting.
I understand why you don’t want to talk about god that you don’t understand what he’s doing.
I understand that because that’s where I was.
Our hurt, our pain, our suffering, our heartache, our burdens do what?
They fling the door open. To other people who need to look inside and say, there’s somebody who understands me fully.
And so we we make a great impact.
Then of course, it helps us displace our own anxiety with peace.
In other words, the anxiety is gone and there’s this awesome sense of peace.
And you know the interesting thing about the Greek word peace, the Greek word is Irene.
Which means to bind together.
And so when I think about the peace of god, we abound with him.
When I think about the awesome sense of his presence and power in our life bound together.
And when we are able to thank him, something happens on the inside.
What happens is the anxiety crumbles within us and the peace of god just fills us up.
Watch this carefully. Nothing else may have changed. I may still be physically feeling what I’m feeling.
I can be emotionally feeling what I’m feeling when I think about it.
But there’s an overwhelming sense of indescribable peace that only comes through a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
So what’s the wisest thing? When you go through some trauma, you have to get out the bottle and drink, or smoke, or chew, or have an affair or run away from the circumstance.
Now, what’s what’s your response? When you turn to the lord Jesus Christ,
You may not feel it at first. You may not even know how
to say it. You may just tell God, I don’t even know how to pray. It’s okay.
He knows your heart. You tell him. You keep talking to him. Before long, you’ll be thanking god.
Surprisingly yourself because that’s the work of the Holy Spirit.
To miller up our heart, to give us understanding to help us to see that he’s willing, what what do what do Paul sells on these vessels?
Don’t be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and suffocation, Does he mean no anxiety? No.
He doesn’t mean that because sometimes we’re hit with anxiety immediately. But don’t stay there.
I’m anxious about it now, but lord, when I start praying and thanking god amidst my anxiety, my anxiety turns to peace.
And sometime when we read the scripture, we say, that’s what it meant.
Well, that doesn’t mean that you won’t ever be anxious.
But when we are, we turn to him and the anxiety is replaced by peace.
I don’t understand that god but I wanna thank you that you’re in control.
I wanna thank you that you know all about it. I wanna thank you that you know my future.
I want to thank you that you have a will for mother.
I want to thank you that you’re going to work all this. I don’t like it. I don’t understand it.
And Lord, it’s it’s hurting me terribly. But I’m gonna thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
That you haven’t left me to myself. You’re gonna help me through this. Any will.
Thanksgiving is a part of that.
And then this is one of the hardest things to do.
When you’re really hurt, something’s going on inside. And that’s to focus on him rather than the circumstances.
If I focus on the circumstances, here’s what happens. The pain becomes more unbearable.
Peace eludes me. Nothing seems to work out right.
If I’m focusing on what’s happening and focusing on what I think the situation is, the circumstances.
If that’s my focus, I’m not gonna have any peace.
If that’s my focus, I’m not gonna have any thanksgiving, but I’m to focus on what I know is real.
Watch this carefully. Whatever you’re facing, this is real.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, this is real. If you’re not, this is not true.
If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, then you’re going through some terrible time time in your life, whatever it may be.
Here’s what you know for certain. Number one, you’re not alone. Number two, he’s with you.
Number three, he loves you. Number four, you’re eternally secure.
And I could just go on and on and on, of what happens when you and I begin to see it from god’s perspective.
Because he’s that kind of god. Now if you don’t have Jesus, then what?
What do you have to hold on to?
I can tell you without Jesus, you don’t have anything to hold on to.
And if you’ve never trusted Jesus as your personal savior, this is a perfect time to do it.
He said, what do I do?
Well, first of all, you tell him that you believe he is. God, I believe that you are.
I don’t understand at all, but I believe you are.
I believe the testimony of
scripture that you sent Jesus into the world for the primary purpose of dying. On the cross.
And somehow, though I don’t fully understand it, god, somehow, I I read in the scriptures that that his death made it possible for you to forgive me of my sins.
And that’s what happened. When he shed his blood, that was his life, He laid it down.
So when you call upon him to ask him to forgive you of your sin, he will do so.
You don’t have to beg and plead. Make promises. You’re gonna do this? No. You ask him.
He says if we confess our sins, he’s faithful.
And just the forgiveness of our sins and the cleanses from all unrighteousness.
And then he says, we’re forgiven He writes our name in the lamb’s book of life.
That’s the eternal book. When you die, you’re going to heaven, not because you’re perfect.
But because his perfect son paid the perfect price for you to be forgiven of your sin.
It would be a shame for you to die without Jesus, especially when you’ve heard the truth.
And no matter what you’re facing in life, you can be forgiven.
He’ll change your eternal future if you’ll do that. Sincerely. And that’s my prayer for you.
Father, how very, very, very, very grateful we are.
And while we could list many things, one is sufficient.
Very grateful for Jesus. Through whom every good thing, every blessing comes.
I pray that every person who hears this message would be wise enough.
To receive Christ as their savior.
And every person going through difficulty, hardship, and pain, and suffering and all kinds of adversity would be willing, not by feeling, but by choice, willing to start thanking you for what you’re doing.
Whatever your reason there may be, thanking you for your purpose and their life in Jesus’ name.
Amen.