Counting Blessings Amid Trials Series

Introduction: Theme of Gratitude and Faith in Trials

Brethren, as we gather to begin this series, Echoes of Christmas: God’s Unfolding Plan, our hearts are tuned to Thanksgiving. It is fitting that we turn our minds to the matter of gratitude—an act not for days of ease alone but for days of hardship as well. Charles Dickens once said, “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” Indeed, the Apostle Paul said much the same, reminding us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” Ah, but how difficult this is when shadows stretch across our path!

Introduction: Polycarp’s Faithful Thanksgiving

Beloved, as we gather today to reflect on the call to gratitude amid trials, let me begin with a story from the early church—a story of faith and thanksgiving in the face of the ultimate trial.

Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, lived in the second century and was a disciple of the Apostle John. By his old age, his faith was known far and wide, but so too was his resistance to the Roman demand that Christians worship the emperor. When Polycarp was arrested for refusing to deny Christ, he was brought before the proconsul. They offered him a way out: renounce Christ and declare Caesar as lord, and he would go free.

Polycarp’s reply was resolute: “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

The proconsul, enraged, ordered him to be burned alive. As they prepared the pyre, Polycarp prayed aloud, offering thanksgiving to God. He prayed:"I give Thee thanks that Thou hast counted me worthy of this day and this hour, that I should have a part in the number of Thy martyrs."

Here was a man who faced death not with fear but with gratitude—thankful for the privilege of standing firm for Christ, even in his final moments.

This is the kind of thanksgiving we are called to—not merely for the blessings of comfort and abundance, but even for the refining fires of trial. How could Polycarp pray such a prayer? Because he knew the truth we find in Scripture: trials are not the end of the story. They are tools in the hand of a sovereign God, shaping us for eternity and drawing us closer to Him.

From the life of Polycarp, let us now turn to God’s Word to explore this call to gratitude in trials and the ways it transforms us. We will see how Scripture challenges us to rejoice, remember, trust, pray, and journey together, cultivating hearts of thanksgiving even in the hardest seasons of life.

Point 1: Rejoicing in Trials (James 1:2-4)

James, that faithful pillar of the early church, speaks to us boldly: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Ah! How foreign this counsel must sound to our human nature, which cries out against affliction! Yet, brethren, James knew a secret—that the fire of trial, when submitted to God, burns away the dross and reveals pure gold. Our faith, dear friends, is strengthened in the crucible of suffering, and each trial we endure with patience is a step toward perfection in Christ.

Just as a refiner sits beside the melting pot, waiting for the gold to be pure, so our Lord stands with us, waiting until He sees His own reflection in our faith. How could we not rejoice, knowing He is working within us, transforming us? When the clouds of sorrow gather overhead, remember that they rain down showers of blessing and shape in us a faith that will stand firm against every storm.

“Consider it pure joy.” Ah, what strength there is in this little phrase! Would you consider it a small thing to see Christ formed in you? Rejoice, then, in the trials, which are but tools in the hand of your Savior, shaping you to perfection.

Point 2: Remembering God’s Faithfulness (Psalm 107:1-9)

We turn now to Psalm 107, where the psalmist invites us to give thanks to the Lord, “for He is good; His mercy endureth forever.” He recalls the wandering souls, lost and weary, yet who, when they cried unto the Lord, were delivered from their distress. How often do we, too, find ourselves in the wilderness, our spirits faint within us! But, dear saints, has not the Lord been faithful? Has He not guided us by His light, even in the darkest hours?

Here is the joy of the believer—that in remembering past mercies, we are emboldened to trust in future grace. Each act of God’s faithfulness is a pillar in the temple of our hearts, reminding us that His goodness never fails. O, let us not forget! Let us raise an Ebenezer in remembrance of His mercies past, for it is by His hand we have come this far.