Thankful in all things...

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always:
Wow!  This one is difficult sometimes, isn't it?  Finding joy in difficult circumstances is not easy...when our eyes are focused on our circumstance.  We can all look at the piles of dirty laundry, the car that needs repaired, the job search that isn't producing results, the medication that isn't working, the child that simply will not behave, the spouse that has lost interest... Everyone has something in their life, or multiple somethings, that threaten to steal our joy.  But when our hope and joy is found in Christ, we can fix our eyes on Him, and find rest and hope, peace and joy in His love and salvation.

These past months it was not always easy to look past my cancer, the effects of the chemo, the fear of surgery, or the nerve pain that followed.  However, I have also found that in my hardest moments, I can remain joyful when I remove my eyes from pain or fear or discouragement and place them again on my savior.  

Pray continually:
Prayer has been the avenue through the pain, fear and discouragement to continuous joy.  I often think of the Apostle Paul, imprisoned, in chains, bound and forgotten.  His circumstances certainly dictated an allowable sadness, but instead he focused his eyes on Christ prayed continually.

There have been nights when my leg pain was so great I would lay on my sofa and literally pray that God would allow me to die.  That, friends, is the ugly truth.  However, those prayers only fed my discouragement, they fed my fear, they fed my pain.  

The nights I would lay on my sofa, in pain, and pray for peace, and rest and for others I knew in the same situation...those were the nights I found peace and found rest.  Whatever your circumstance, pray continually...

Give thanks in all circumstances:
This directive is not easy for most.  It's difficult to shake the dust off and actually be thankful when the doctor says, "you have cancer."  It's difficult to be thankful when you're unemployed and can not find a job.  It's difficult to be thankful when relationships are broken and torn.  It's difficult to be thankful when month after month ends simply won't meet. 

Again, we can not always be thankful for our circumstance, but we can be thankful in our circumstances.  God is good.  He is sovereign and He has proven to me time and again this year that He Is Faithful!  Give thanks for his faithfulness.

For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus:
I always read this portion as a continuation of the former three directives.  Be joyful, pray continually, give thanks, for this is God's will for you... I always read it as if God's will was to be joyful, for us to pray continually and to continually give thanks.  I believe that is true.  I believe God desires us to have a joyful heart. I believe he desires us to pray continually and be in conversation with him, and I believe he desires us to give thanks in our circumstances. 

However, what if we look at it from a different perspective?  Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  What if, instead, of referencing the behaviors spoken about, this last portion actually applies to our circumstances?  What if the writer is saying, "Whatever you're going through, give thanks, pray continually and be joyful in your situation because this [circumstance] is God's sovereign will for you in Christ Jesus."

God does not allow us to go through difficult times without a purpose.  He does not allow trials to come to us without a reason.  He does not allow trouble to touch us, unless He has a divine plan of rescue already set in place.

When we rethink this passage, and look at our situation from a heavenly perspective, knowing that God is sovereign in all our life circumstances, knowing that even this is God's will for me, for right now... it makes it easier to follow the directives to be joyful, to pray continually and to give thanks.

Many people asked me how I could face cancer with such joy.  I knew that God was sovereign over every area of my life.  I also knew that whatever happened was for my good and for His glory.  Yes, at times the fear was great.  At times the pain was hard, but looking past it to His sovereignty and trusting in him got me through every single day.

Whatever you're going through today, consider that even in the trials, even in the fierce battles, this is God's sovereign will for you.  He is trying to refine you.  He is trying to train your hands for battle.  He is trying to strengthen you.  When you look at life through a heavenly perspective, knowing you will come out the other side stronger, more hopeful, more whole... it is easy to give thanks in all things...

Only By His Grace,

Billie