A Heart Of Thanks: Even When Life Is Difficult

The wilderness is for my own good so I should be thankful for it.

 

Psalms 95:1-11 Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come to Him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to Him.

3 For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods. 4 He holds in His hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. 5 The sea belongs to Him, for He made it. His hands formed the dry land, too.

6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker, 7 for He is our God. We are the people He watches over, the flock under His care. If only you would listen to His voice today!

8 The LORD says, "Don't harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness. 9 For there your ancestors tested and tried My patience, even though they saw everything I did.

10 For forty years I was angry with them, and I said, 'They are a people whose hearts turn away from Me. They refuse to do what I tell them.' 11 So in My anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter My place of rest.'"

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When we think about all of the reasons we have to be thankful, we should go to God and give him praise and worship, if we consider just a fraction of what he has done the praise and worship should be unrestrained.

Maybe that isn't your experience right now, you know he deserves it but you are wondering around in the desert and your feelings are just not there. You are in a situation that you don't want to be thankful for.

Our number one desire here in the United States is to be comfortable, more money, better health, a house full of stuff and we are happy. The only problem with that way of thinking is that it isn't God's number one desire for you.

We like to pray for him to close doors that we shouldn't go through but what if he closed that door to test your faith? Do we really believe that God is in control when things happen?

God's number one desire for you is to make you holy, he is the master gardener that prunes his vine to make it more productive, pruning doesn't feel good but growth usually comes in the most difficult moments.

We are just like God's children in the wilderness, we have been brought out of slavery, we have witnessed unexplained miracles but at the moment we are out in a desert and the last thing we want to do is thank God for this situation.

We need to see God's presence in even the most difficult times and realize that sometimes he strategically puts us where we would never choose to go. 

Have you considered the reality that Jesus knew the weather forecast and he still put his disciples in a boat on two different occasions? 

Why would God ask Jonah to go start a revival in enemy territory? 

Why would faithful men have to make a stand for their beliefs and get thrown into a furnace?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

When everything is going our way we take prosperity and comfort for granted but when things get tough we realize that we are powerless to control our circumstances. If you begin to see that everything you have and everything you have counted on can disappear in a second then it becomes much harder to take it for granted.

A heart of thanks can help you persevere when stress and heartache come upon us. You can focus on the current situation and forget about the past experiences that we have already come through. God brought you through yesterday, last month and last year when you thought things were so bad so why won't he do it again?

Lord help me to remember that you are in control and that I should not look at the people and circumstances around me and blame them for interrupting my plans to be comfortable. Thank you for loving me enough to die for me and for using any means necessary to help me grow.

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The Promised Son Fails

The heir of the promise didn't do anything to deserve God's blessings.

Genesis 26:1-3  A severe famine now struck the land, as had happened before in Abraham’s time. So Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived.  2  The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you.  3  Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father.

Genesis 26:10  “How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.”

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It seems that God really wants us to know that we don't do anything to deserve his promises. Looking at the life of Abraham and Isaac we learn that the school of faith is never closed and  the test keep coming until the Lord takes us home.

Right after the death of his father, Isaac received confirmation from God that he was next in line for the promises and he would have his favor but it didn't take long to prove that he isn't any better qualified for those promises than his father was.

Struggling to Trust in God’s Promises: Isaac Lies about Rebekah 

(Genesis 26:1-17)

• Isaac didn't go to Egypt but he still had problems with his ungodly peers that brought him a lot of fear and grief.
• Just like Abraham, Isaac feared for his life because of his beautiful wife and he repeated his father's lie. 
• Abraham and Isaac were both reprimanded by ungodly men for their sin and it seems like neither of them repented.
• Sometimes God's people seem less like their father than the people around them.

Struggling to Live with Sinful Men: Isaac Quarrels with the Men of Gerar 

(Genesis 26:18-25)

• Isaac was well known by the elites of his day but not well liked by them. Sometimes God's blessings will bring hate and resentment from the people around us that don't have the blessings.
• Isaac's neighbors didn't tell him to his face to get out of town but they did make it impossible to stay. Isaac kept the peace and moved on each time there was a dispute. 
• To Isaac these wells were a necessity for survival, but to the Philistines these were a claim to the land and a means to support his growing household and livestock.
• Isaac may not have realized it but it was the disputes over the ownership of the wells he dug or reopened that served to guide him in the direction of the land of promise.

Struggling to Recognize the Sovereignty of God: Isaac Makes a Covenant with Abimelech 

(Genesis 26:26-33)

• God came through greatly on his promise to prosper Isaac if he resisted the urge to move to Egypt to get away from the famine.
• Abraham and Isaac both offended Abimelech and they were both approached later to make a treaty with him.
• Maybe Abimelech wanted God's favor and blessings and he thought that he could get it by becoming Isaac's friend.
• Isaac had nothing to gain by making the covenant with Abimelech. Isaac already learned that his safety and his prosperity came from God and not the king.

God's covenant with Abraham was passed on to another undeserving sinner that had many flaws. Thankfully God's covenant was an unconditional one that did not rely on the faithfulness and good works of Abraham, Isaac or any of us.

Galatians 3:2-3, 9  Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.  3  How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

9  So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.

Thankfully the new covenant that Jesus offers (Luke 22:19-20) is also given freely without needing to deserve it. God's blessings and care for us is based on what the ultimate promised son (Jesus) did for us instead of what I have or have not done. God's promise of redemption that he made way back in Genesis is still good no matter how bad mankind has become and how little we deserve them.

Thank you Lord for the new covenant with the better high priest that paid the final sacrifice for every sin for those that believe in him. (Hebrews 8:1-13)

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Who Are You?

What defines who you are? What would you do if all that were taken away?

Video: Hillsong Worship - Who You Say I Am

Who the Son sets free

Oh is free indeed

I'm a child of God

Yes I am

In my Father's house

There's a place for me

I'm a child of God

Yes I am

What defines who you are? As a child of God, Satan knows who you are and how powerful your life can be, he just hopes that he can keep you from knowing it. Cheap substitutes is all that Satan has to offer you to keep you from living up to your full potential.

Satan will get you to define yourself in ways that involve your family, friends your career or good deeds but any of these things can be taken away and then what do you have to stand on?

If you lose the thing that defines you then your life will feel empty and meaningless when it is gone. You need to be defined by something eternal so that you won't be crushed when your circumstances change.

Overcomer - Hannah Scott Quote
I am created by God. He designed me, so I’m not a mistake. His Son died for me, just so I could be forgiven. He picked me to be his own, so I’m chosen. He redeemed me, so I am wanted. He showed me grace, just so I could be saved. He has a future for me because He loves me. So I don’t wonder anymore, Coach Harrison. I am a child of God.

A Bad Day

The worst day in history is the source of our greatest joy.

 

John 16:16-24 "In a little while you won't see Me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see Me again." 17 Some of the disciples asked each other, "What does He mean when He says, 'In a little while you won't see Me, but then you will see Me,' and 'I am going to the Father'? 18 And what does He mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand."

19 Jesus realized they wanted to ask Him about it, so He said, "Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won't see Me, but a little while after that you will see Me again. 20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to Me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21 It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world.

22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. 23 At that time you won't need to ask Me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and He will grant your request because you use My name. 24 You haven't done this before. Ask, using My name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

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Have you found yourself enduring a bad day? Maybe a week or a month or even a longer season of life that was incredibly difficult. No matter what the length of the trial, getting through it can seem impossible, without hope you can get so caught up in the situation that you become stuck.

Jesus is speaking to his disciples, it is Thursday night just after a rather eventful supper, first there was a confusing situation with Jesus acting like a servant, then there was the departure of their friend Judas, followed by the prediction that Peter would deny Jesus.

Jesus keeps talking about leaving them, where is he going? They were supposed to be governors in his kingdom! If he is going to die then how will we see him again in a little while? Why isn't Judas back yet?

The disciples are at the beginning of the worst days in their life, soon they will see their best friend be brutally beaten, none of them can see that this dark moment is going to be the best thing that could ever happen. I cannot imagine seeing a friend die in such agony. We like to think that we would have done better but I doubt that we would given the confusing and desperate situation.

They couldn't understand that the cross that brought them so much grief was going to be their greatest source of hope. Jesus spent a lot of time letting them know what was coming and encouraging them to refuse to give up hope.

Why does he give us joy? He is a sensitive Savior (Psalm 103:13-14) He is a suffering Savior (Hebrews 4:15, 5:7, 12:3) He is a risen Savior (1 Corinthians 15:17) The apostles were transformed from fearful, defeated, confused men into bold witnesses who were willing to suffer and die because they saw the risen Lord Jesus. How does he give us joy? Showing us the glory of the cross (Acts 2:23; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30) Giving us an eternal perspective (Psalm 73:1-28) Being our mediator (John 16:23-24) Showing us a risen Savior (1 Peter 1:8) Sorrow Turned Into Joy - Steven Cole on Bible.org

Your grief will be temporary, your joy will be timeless!

Jesus doesn't minimize their sorrow or tell them to man up. The same love and compassion that brought him down here to live in this dark world is the same love and compassion that wants to ease the sorrow as he prepares his closest friends for his departure.

There is no way that they could understand that the bad days that are coming are nothing compared to the joy that is on the way. (Romans 8:17-18) They will soon realize that the very event that brought them all of this sorrow is the source of their eternal joy.

My worst day is nothing compared to the days that were coming toward the disciples.  I need to remember that Jesus is just as compassionate about my bad days as he was to his disciples. He would tell me that I will see him soon and all of my sadness will be turned into joy.

The disciples excitement and joy after the resurrection is nothing compared to the joy that we will experience when we step into heaven and see Jesus in our forever home. Think about that when life gets hard.

The Space Between Grief And Hope

God wants us to face overwhelming trials with faith as we draw near to our hope in Jesus.

John 11:23-27  Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again."  24  "Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day."

25  Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying.  26  Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?"

27  "Yes, Lord," she told Him. "I have always believed You are the Messiah, the Son of God, the One who has come into the world from God."

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A lot of people are unhappy and confused about Jesus, the message that Lazarus was sick and needed his help had reached Jesus in plenty of time. Some of the people at the funeral were baffled by the fact that Jesus could have just spoke the words and Lazarus would be healed without Jesus coming to see him.

Four days later Lazarus' family was dealing with their loss when the word gets back to the house that Jesus has made his way into their village. How could he show up so late? When the message about Lazarus was given to him he wasn't that far away so where has he been? There isn't much that can be done now.

Jesus encourages her with the thought that she will see her brother again and that death isn't a permanent condition for God's children. Jesus asked her if she believed and she confirmed that she knew that he is the Messiah but that hope didn't get rid of her grief. Jesus didn't expect it to end her sadness, he didn't ask her if she felt better now that she had that resurrection theology straight in her head, according to Jesus it was not how she felt that was important, but what she believed.

Ephesians 2:6  For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.

We have amazing hope but still there is an empty void that will not be filled right away, if ever, so we still have grief but it is tempered with the hope that we will be reunited with that person again. This trial will test our faith, it is a lot easier to talk about our faith as a theory than it is to exercise it, it is easier to believe that all things work together for good than it is to believe that this individual trial is for good.

There are seven qualities of overcoming faith that will help us work through life’s overwhelming trials and losses:

1. Overcoming faith takes overwhelming trials to the Lord.
2. Overcoming faith trusts that God is in control of all our circumstances.
3. Overcoming faith does not limit God.
4. Overcoming faith trusts in the promises of God regarding eternity.
5. Overcoming faith personally applies God’s truth in the present.
6. Overcoming faith centers in the person of Jesus Christ.
7. Overcoming faith believes what it knows and grows from there.

From Bible.org "Overcoming Faith"

As Jesus approached Mary and Martha differently he does the same for us, with Martha he talked to her about her belief but with Mary he sympathized and wept with her. Jesus told us that apart from him we cannot do anything and if we have have him we can do anything but sometimes our emotions overrule the facts.

Emotions Are Okay
John 11:33-36  When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within Him, and He was deeply troubled. "Where have you put him?" He asked them. They told Him, "Lord, come and see." Then Jesus wept. The people who were standing nearby said, "See how much He loved him!"

Emotions are okay, even Jesus was emotional, our emotions can be opportunities to grow. In our grief we learn to pray, in our weakness we learn of his strength, in our sorrow we learn more fully about his grace.

All of this annoys us, none of it is fun or comfortable but God knows that we grow more like him the most when our lives are less satisfied with the things of earth. If we were fully content and satisfied with our time here on earth then we wouldn't long for heaven so much.

1 Thessalonians 4:13, 18  And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. So encourage each other with these words.

You may be tempted to run the other way but you should come to Jesus. We tend to think that God doesn't love us when we suffer, we think that our circumstances are proof of the level of love that Jesus has for us and bad stuff must happen because he is angry with us. (Romans 8:35-37)

Grief doesn't stop happening but we also have hope that should never stop. That's where we are until Jesus returns, somewhere between grief and hope.