In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
—1 Thessalonians 5:18
A hospital chaplain kept a record of 2,000 patients he had known who were apparently in a dying condition and had shown signs of repentance. He reported that of those who were restored to health, only two showed what he felt were marked changes in their spiritual lives after their recovery.
In other words, when people thought they were dying, they wanted God’s help. But once they had recovered, they forgot about Him. They continued to live the way they wanted to live.
Far too often we ask God for help, but when He gives it, we don’t offer Him any thanks in return. What would you think of a person who was always asking for resources and favors and never took the time to thank you? (Actually, I think we call them children.)
It is one thing to give thanks when things are going well, but we can give thanks even when times are hard. Think of David and the beautiful psalms that he penned. One of my favorites is Psalm 63: “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name” (verses 3–4).
We may think David wrote those words while he was kicking back on a beautiful, sunny day. But actually he wrote Psalm 63 when he was in exile in the wilderness, running from his son, Absalom, who wanted to take his throne. In the midst of his anguish and personal pain, he wrote, “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. . . .”
We can praise the Lord in good times, but we can also praise Him in bad times. Are you giving Him the praise that He deserves?
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