Devotions by Rachel #7

Devotional #7- Give thanks always 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Today my vision is extra bad. The doctors say it’s permanently damaged from where I hit my brain in the car accident. The part of my brain that perceives sight is broken so it makes everything look like it’s moving to me 24/7. Sometimes it’s worse than others. Today is one of those days that everything looks and feels like it’s spinning more than usual. My head is throbbing and my throat is so sore that it makes it hard to speak. As I asked the Lord to help me through the day, I felt He had me stop and thank Him for the good things in my life.

Sometimes those good things in life that I thank God for are the smallest pleasures. Such as, silly animated movies. I love animated movies. My mom knows this about me. So she went and got a red box and brought it back to me. My dad came in my room I asked him to bring me an ice pack for my throbbing head which he was happy to get from me. How lucky I am to have people who care for me so much and do what they can to help me when I feel sick. So I thank God that I live in a part of the world where we have electricity, where I have a TV in my room and can watch a fun movie to distract me from how I feel. I thank God that I have a mom who loves me and tries to do what she can to bring little joys into my life, like movies, all the tea she’s brought me, the vaporizer she went and bought today so that I can breathe better. I’m grateful for a dad who came and hooked up a Blu-ray DVD player so I could watch a movie. The Bible says give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you. It doesn’t say to give thanks when we feel grateful. Instead giving thanks helps us feel grateful. There’s always something to thank God for.

•Maybe you are having problems at work, but you can give thanks for having a job when so many people don’t. •Maybe you are battling a chronic illness like me, but you can give thanks that you have loved ones in your life. •Maybe your heart is broken because you’ve lost a loved one. But you can give thanks that you have one in heaven that will never leave you or forsake you. He will be with you always. •Maybe you are being persecuted for doing good. But the Bible says rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven. We can give thanks for that. Even if we lose absolutely everything, and our bodies are in agony, we can thank God that we know Him. We thank God that Jesus died on the cross so that this world is not our only life. We have a beautiful eternity in heaven where there will be no suffering or pain. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is more than any of us deserve. It’s something we can always be grateful for no matter how hard life gets. Colossians 1:12 …and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” I Chronicles 16:34 “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”