Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus for you.
In the classic autobiography, The Hiding Place, Corrie ten
Boom tells of her sufferings at the hands of the Nazis during the evil reign of
Adolph Hitler. Corrie and her sister, Betsie, were incarcerated at the Nazi
concentration camp, Ravensbruck, and experienced terrible atrocities there. On
one occasion, they were forced to disrobe before the German soldiers. In that
awful, humiliating moment, an amazing discovery came to Corrie's mind:
"They took Jesus' clothes too. He hung naked for me." When she
relayed that wondrous thought to Betsie, she gasped and said, "Oh, Corrie,
and I never thanked Him for it."
One of the things that made Corrie and Betsie such dynamic
Christians was the fact that the chose to see life from God's perspective. In
the worst of situations, they found new insights to praise and thank God.
The Bible tells us that we are to give thanks in
everything, the good things AND the bad things. In Psalm 50:23, God says,
"He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me." In the hard
times, thanksgiving is difficult. It is definitely a sacrifice to thank God in
a Nazi concentration camp, but it is so very necessary. Thanksgiving honors
God, and when you and I honor God, He honors us (1 Samuel 2:30).
How is your thanksgiving factor? Are you facing tough
times? Have you been griping and complaining about the things in your life that
are hard, lonely and frustrating? Why not try praising and thanking God for
your difficulty. He knows about it, He
is over it, and He cares for you. Without question, He has a purpose in every
trial and tribulation. Start today to live a life of thanksgiving. If you will
do it, I promise you on the authority of the Word of God, your attitude will
change, the people around you will be blessed, and Jesus Christ will be
glorified and honored.
Dear Lord, help us to live a life of Thanksgiving not only on
this Thanksgiving Day but through out the year. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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