Illus.: A father in Phoenix calls his son in New York the day before Thanksgiving and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty years of misery is enough. "Dad, what are you talking about?" the son screams. We can't live together any longer," the father says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her." Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "What? They're getting divorced?" she shouts. "I'll take care of this," she said. And then she calls Phoenix immediately and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Please don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back. We'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" And she hangs up. After the father hangs up his phone, he turns to his wife and says, "It works. They're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way." I hope you didn't need to make up a story to make your children come on Thanksgiving Day.
Let's read 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." The apostle Paul's command that we "give thanks in all circumstances or everything" is beautiful, but is it realistic? Is that possible? If we recover from illness, escape an accident that could have killed us, or buy a bigger and nicer house, of course, it is not difficult for us to give thanks to God. But what if we have been sick for years but have not recovered even though we have sought treatment everywhere, as in the story of Mrs. TBS? What if suddenly we were laid off when two of our children were still in college, so one of them had to stop studying? How can parents express gratitude if their son, on holiday from school in America, returns to Indonesia with his male friend and says, "Dad, Mum, this is my partner?
Giving thanks when we are sick, facing severe family problems, and experiencing enormous life difficulties is certainly not easy! But that is what the apostle Paul commanded us to do. He didn't say, "Don't forget to give than when you are healed or got a job promotion! Before I explain how we can be grateful in all things or circumstances, we must first know that this command is only for Christians who have a personal relationship with God, whose sins have been redeemed by Christ Jesus, and who want to do His will. Note the phrase "this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." So, Paul's advice must be seen as unrealistic and impossible for people who still need to learn Christ and receive the priceless gift of salvation. But for us, God's children, it is possible.
So, how can we be grateful for everything? The answer is short: by FAITH or TRUST in the Triune GOD who loves us!
1. Believe that GOD is almighty and He has control over everything.
Psalm 11:4 - "The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them." Our God's throne is in heaven, not Washington DC, Moscow, or other power centers in the world; He is not limited by location or time. He is almighty God! And He watches over us and everyone on earth. He never sleeps; Nothing in our lives happens without His permission. Matthew 10:29-30 – "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered."
Application: When we experience difficulties or disasters, we may wonder, "Why am I experiencing this? Haven't I tried to obey and do God's will?" We forget that what happens to us is not a coincidence or beyond His knowledge. Remember, God has control over everything, including our lives. So even though what happened was unpleasant and painful, let's still thank the Triune God. We need to learn from the story of the Apostles Paul and Silas when they were in prison in Philippi, where they prayed and praised God (Acts 16).
2. Believe that GOD has a specific purpose for us.
Because GOD has control over everything, if GOD allows something to happen to us, it must be for a specific purpose that is good for us.
A. It could be a blessing in disguise.
When her husband died, Ruth must have been sorrowful. But her love for Naomi, her mother-in-law, and her faith in YHWH made her follow Naomi back to Israel. There, she met a good man, Boaz, who later became her husband. Ruth did not know that even though she was a Moabite, her marriage to Boaz would later give birth to the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.
Application: If you experience difficulties or even disasters in your life, even though you have been obedient to God and prioritized Him in your life, remember that God's beautiful purpose is definitely behind it all. Sometimes, God wants to give us something better! The Story: On March 11, 1812, a fire swept through missionary William Carey's printing headquarters in Serampore, India, destroying his enormous polyglot dictionary, two grammar books, type sets for 14 eastern languages, and an entire version of the Bible. Undeterred, Carey said, "The loss is great, but as the second journey is usually made with greater ease and certainty than the first, I am sure this work will not lose any value. . . We feel down, but don't give up hope." News of the fire also catapulted Carey to fame, bringing in a lot of funding and volunteers.
B. To give us specific lessons, for example, so that:
- We don't brag. Example: The Apostle Paul suffered from a thorn in his flesh.' He said in 2 Corinthians 12:7 – "or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me." God allowed Paul to suffer to keep him humble.
- We become stronger, mature, and become a blessing to others. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, the Apostle Paul praises God amid his suffering. He tells us why: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."
Testimony: Two months ago, when I led a couples retreat in East Java, I heard testimony from a lady named Erika Arianto. She had suffered from three types of cancer, which were severe and caused much suffering. But God restored her so that she is still alive today. Because of this experience, she felt God's call to serve people living with cancer in Indonesia. She and her husband then founded the "Indonesia Christian Cancer Community." Her ministry has strengthened many cancer patients and their families and received moral and spiritual support.
- We repent of our sins/mistakes. The Lord Jesus said in Revelation 3:19, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.”
Story: Many of you know George Foreman. In 1968, he became the boxing champion at the Summer Olympics and then the world boxing champion. Foreman, whom his mother raised as a Christian, became arrogant and abandoned God. His mother continued to pray for him to return to God. In 1974, he was defeated by Mohammad Ali. Then, in 1977, he was also defeated by Jimmy Young. His defeat shook his pride. Praise God, Foreman then experienced conversion (he became a born-again Christian); in 1978, he was even ordained as a minister. In 1980, he founded "The Lord Jesus Christ" church in Houston.
3. Believe that God works in all things.
Paul says in Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." When Joseph was sold by his brothers, he probably wondered why God didn't save him. But thank God, he continued to believe in God and tried his best in everything he did. And we know God used the terrible thing that happened to him to save his family and many people. Joseph told his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20).
Testimony: On December 3, 2016, approaching her first wedding anniversary, Grace Utomo, my daughter-in-law, had an accident that almost took her life. God saved him, so she is still alive. However, due to severe brain damage, two strokes, and several broken bones, she was no longer able to live a normal life and experienced a lot of suffering in her life. Her left hand no longer works, so Grace can no longer play the violin. She studied violin seriously since she was six years old and then studied at the Eastman School of Music.
One day, I asked my son, Ivan, whether he was disappointed in God for what happened to his wife so that many of their dreams disappeared. He was even surprised by my question. He then answered that neither he nor Grace were disappointed in God. Ivan is grateful that Grace is still alive, can communicate, and, after undergoing painful therapy for a year, can walk. They realize that during their life in this world, God's children can experience disasters, experience various kinds of illnesses, etc. However, they have hope that the Lord Jesus will one day give them a perfect resurrection body. The story of Grace and Ivan's journey with God for almost seven years has recently been published under "Walking With Grace." Praise God, their stories bless many people. For example, Matt Redman, who knows Ivan and Grace personally, says, "Ivan and Grace found a way to sing through the storm. This faith-filled book will bring fresh hope to many." Pastor Voddie Baucham writes, "Walking with Grace is honest, heartbreaking, and encouraging. This is not a fairy tale."
The devil may be trying to destroy Grace and Ivan's lives through the accident. But "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." He worked in Grace and Ivan's lives to grow their faith, bless others, and bring glory to God. Happy Thanksgiving!
