Thanksgiving should be a constant practice for believers, especially when things get tough. Dr. Stanley encourages us to remain thankful in the midst of adversity. With gratitude comes a whole host of benefits—greater awareness of His presence, increased trust, joy, decreased anxiety—that energize us when we feel beaten down. For more messages from Charles Stanley, including this week’s broadcast, go to intouch.org/tv.
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in touch the Teaching Ministry of Dr
Charles Stanley reaching the world with
the Gospel of Jesus Christ next on in
touch Thanksgiving in the midst of
adversity
it’s one thing to be grateful when
everything is going your way
but when everything is not going your
way what is your response
and sometimes we justify our wrong
attitude our ugly attitude
our ungrateful Spirit by saying well God
shouldn’t allow these things to happen
to me or if God is who he says he is he
wouldn’t allow this to happen and they
may look in the Bible and tell you well
there’s some parts of the Bible I don’t
understand
and so instead of rejoicing and praising
God and thanking him for who he is and
what he has done for you sometimes we’d
let doubts sort of scatter
our thoughts of Thanksgiving
but today I want you to listen very
carefully because I want to talk to you
about why you should be a very grateful
person
what God is doing in your life
and the consequences of what he’s doing
in your life
and I want you to turn if you will to
first Thessalonians and Paul in first
Thessalonians
in this fifth chapter
he’s ending up this epistle and he comes
to these letter verses and he says a
great deal in verse after verse
but when you come to the 16th verse
there’s sort of a Triad here and it says
three things he says number one Rejoice
always is that easy no it’s not
then he says pray without ceasing
is that easy not not really then he says
in everything give thanks for this is
God’s will for you in Christ Jesus is
that easy no it’s not
so if you’ll notice in verse 18 He says
in everything give thanks now hold it
hold your finger right there go back to
Ephesians chapter 5 and look what he
says in verse 20. and then I’ll talk
about the difference
verse 20 says
always giving thanks for all things in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God
even the father now hold it right there
I’m going back in everything give thanks
always giving thanks for all things now
this is where sometimes I think people
get confused and if you’re one of those
persons who’s not a Believer not a
Christian
you’d say see
there’s no way I could be a Christian if
I have to give thanks for everything
so let me just clarify something
when Paul said In this passage always
giving thanks for all things
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
watch this I can’t ask God or I’ll give
thanks for things that are totally
inconsistent with the nature of God for
example
let’s say your little boy steps out in
front of the car and gets killed
does God expect you to be happy and and
to thank him for that no
and for example you go home from church
and you have a note there from your
husband your wife and one of them says
uh well I just leaving you a note to
tell you that I’m leaving you and I’m in
love with somebody else and I’m gonna
get married and so this is the end of
our marriage does God expect you to be
grateful no and so then when Paul says
in this uh fifth chapter of
Thessalonians he says in everything give
thanks
that is in every circumstance I can give
thanks for what that he’s My Savior My
Lord my master my God lord I don’t
understand why you allowed us to happen
but in the midst of this I’m going to
give you thanks because I know that
you’ll help me to survive you’ll help me
to be able to Bear the pain to get
through the sorrow and the heartache and
the loss and all the adversity I feel in
my heart I’m going to thank you that
you’ll be with me in it but I’m not
thanking God for what happened anything
that is inconsistent with who God is
we don’t we don’t thank him for that
that’s not what Paul is thinking about
he’s thinking about our relationship to
him and that we can give thanks for
whatever God allows in our life because
we’re giving thanks to him listen
because of who Christ is within us
whatever he allows in our life
he will turn it for good because we read
what else Paul said when he said God
causes all things to work together for
good watch this to those who love him
the those who called according this
purpose even the most difficult trying
heartbreaking things he will turn for
our good do we always understand that no
he didn’t say I had to understand it in
fact there’s an old gospel hymn will
understand it better by and by by and by
not necessarily now but now
what Paul is referring to now in the
midst of all this we can be grateful to
God
so what I want to do is I want us to
think about why should we be grateful to
God in everything number one I’m going
to give you a list here it keeps us
continually aware
that we are walking in his presence
which contributes to a Godly life by
thanking him and everything I’m being
continually reminded that I’m walking in
his presence I’m not walking alone so
whatever I may heard over whatever I’m a
weep over whatever I may suffer loss
about I know this that I’m walking in
his presence that I’m not doing it alone
and if there’s one thing we need when
we’re going through turmoil and
heartache and loss of somebody we love
or some situational circumstances there
is something about being aware
of the presence in his presence in
everything give thanks even in the midst
of it and so one of the reasons I should
give thanks is because what does it do
it contributes to a Godly life because
if I’m aware of his presence then I’m
thinking about how does God see this
what is God promised me in the midst of
this how is he going to work in this
situation circumstance and so I think
one of the primary reasons would he give
thanks is it reminds us that we’re
walking in his presence and when you
begin your day aware that you are
walking in his presence that he’s living
on the inside of you that no matter what
happens during the day it’ll happen in
the presence of an all-loving omnipotent
omniscient omnipresent holy God you’re
walking in his presence what could be
finer than that there’s a second reason
and that’s this that being grateful
motivates us to look for his purpose and
everything that happens
if I’m grateful I’m going to look for
his purpose God I don’t understand it
and I think all of us can list some
things in our life that have happened to
us that we’d say well God what are you
up to
he doesn’t watch this he doesn’t expect
us to figure that out
in other words God will sometimes reveal
his purpose and sometimes he doesn’t
probably at some point in life he will
but oftentimes you and I face
circumstances that are shocked to us
well God I didn’t expect that I didn’t
anticipate that does that mean that God
has forgotten you know
does that mean I’m to be grateful yes I
am even though I don’t understand his
purpose I’m still to be grateful because
he says he watch this he causes
all things to work together for good to
those who love him
though those who called according this
purpose that is those who are walking in
his will he’ll turn it to good if you’re
living in sin or if you get disappointed
with something God does in your life you
say well if God loved me one let it
happen and you decide to walk away from
God then you can’t claim that promise
god listen to God who is this God the
only person who can say this is Almighty
Sovereign god of the universe God causes
all things that’s what happened to you
that’s what happened to you he causes
all things to work together for good
that is he’ll turn the worst kind of
things for good if I trust him and if I
if I’m able to just say well God I don’t
understand it I don’t like it it’s
painful I feel the loss I I this doesn’t
fit what I think about you but I’m going
to trust you because you’re a loving God
and I’m going to thank you in spite of
everything I feel you say oh that’s not
real
you know when you’ll find that it’s real
when you do it
and sometimes we think well because I
don’t feel it it’s not true listen God
is the same when things are good he’s
the same when things are bad he doesn’t
change when he makes a promise he keeps
his promise there’s a third reason for
giving thanks
thanking him helps me trust him when I
don’t understand why
all of us have been through
circumstances that we didn’t understand
why
he never promises to tell me why
he promises to be with me
no matter what
through it to enable us to face it and
to walk through it that’s his promise
and one thing about Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving reminds me and helps me to
remember the fact that I don’t have to
understand it I just have to be obedient
in the process
and then I think one other thing that
happens is
um
it’s really essential in our rejoicing
in the midst of suffering in other words
if I’m if if I’m going to Rejoice
realistically I got to thank him
watch this carefully
the pain and hurt and suffering you may
be going through may be so deep
so penetrating
and so exhausting
that when you tell God you’re grateful
you don’t feel it
well how does God think about that
here’s how God thinks about it
I understand how you feel
I know you’re hurt I know your pain I
know you’re suffering I know when you
tell me that it’s okay that’s only words
because that’s all you’re capable of
saying right now the wonderful thing
about a loving God is this when I can’t
even express it
he hears it
when I feel so shut out so rejected so
hurt so full of pain and maybe it’s
physical pain when my physical pain
shouts louder than I can speak
one thing I know for sure
God hears me though nobody else can
I can thank him
I can thank him no matter what
watch this I can thank him with my lips
and that counts
until I can thank him with my heart
my soul my spirit my very being
it all counts with him because he
understands the depth of our heart
the reason I know why is because he
understood what Jesus was feeling
when it was stretched out on a cross and
crying out my God my God why have you
forsaken me
when I think about that I think about he
understands
maybe when I don’t feel it
and I’m not all that sincere about God
helping me he understands
he understood his son
he’ll understand you in me
then I think
when you and I can say thank you God for
difficult times
there’s something about our witness
about our testimony that changes
and so when you can say to someone you
know I’ve been there
when you can say
I know what it means to walk in your
steps and I can tell you I understand
why you don’t believe I understand why
you’re hurting I understand why you
don’t want to talk about God that you
don’t understand what he’s doing I
understand that because that’s where I
was
Al heard our pain our suffering our
heartache
albertans do what they fling the door
open
to other people who need to look inside
and say there’s somebody who understands
me fully and so
we make a great impact then of course it
helps us displace our own anxiety with
peace in other words the anxiety is gone
and there’s this awesome sense of peace
and you know the interesting thing about
the Greek word peace the Greek word is
Irene which means to bond together
and so when I think about the peace of
God
we abound with him when I think about
the awesome sense of his presence and
Power in our life
bound together
and when we’re able to thank him
something happens on the inside
what happens is the anxiety crumbles
within us and the peace of God just
fills ours up
watch this carefully nothing else may
have changed I may still be physically
feeling what I’m feeling I can be
emotionally feeling what I’m feeling
when I think about it but there’s an
overwhelming sense of indescribable
peace that only comes through a personal
intimate relationship with Jesus Christ
so what’s the wisest thing
when you go through some trauma you have
to get out the ball and drink
or smoke
or chew
or have an affair
or run away from the circumstance now
what’s what’s your response
when you turn to the Lord Jesus Christ
you may not feel it at first you may not
even know how to say you may just tell
God I don’t even know how to pray it’s
okay he knows your heart
you tell them you keep talking to him
before long you’ll be thanking God
surprising yourself
because that’s the work of the Holy
Spirit
to Miller up our heart
to give us understanding to help us to
see that he’s willing
what did Paul say elves on these
visitors don’t be anxious about anything
but in everything by prayer and
supplication does he mean no anxiety
no it doesn’t mean that because
sometimes we’re hit with anxiety
immediately
but don’t stay there I’m anxious about
it now but Lord when I start praying and
thanking God amidst my anxiety my
anxiety turns to peace
and sometimes when we read the scripture
we say that’s what it meant well that
doesn’t mean that you won’t ever be
anxious
but when we are
we turn to him and the anxiety is
replaced by peace I don’t understand it
God but I want to thank you that you’re
in control I want to thank you that you
know all about it I want to thank you
that you know my future I want to thank
you that you have a willful mother I
want to thank you that you’re going to
work all this I don’t like it I don’t
understand it lord it’s it’s hurting me
terribly but I want to thank you thank
you thank you that you haven’t left me
to myself
you’re going to help me through this and
he will
Thanksgiving is a part of that and then
this is one of the hardest things to do
when you’re really hurt something’s
going on inside and that’s the focus on
him rather than the circumstances
if I focus on the circumstances here’s
what happens the pain becomes more
unbearable
peace
eludes me
nothing seems to work out right
if I’m focusing on what’s Happening and
focusing on what I think the situation
is the circumstances if that’s my focus
I’m not going to have it at peace
if that’s my focus I’m not going to have
any Thanksgiving but I’m the focus on
what I know is real watch this carefully
whatever you’re facing this is real
if you are a follower of Jesus Christ
this is really if you’re not this is not
true if you’re a follower of Jesus
Christ and you’re going through some
terrible time time in your life whatever
it may be
here’s what you know for certain number
one you’re not alone
number two he’s with you number three he
loves you number four you’re Eternal
secure and I could just go on and on and
on of what happens when you and I begin
to see it from God’s perspective
because he’s that kind of God
now if you don’t have Jesus
then what
what do you have to hold on to
I can tell you without Jesus
you don’t have anything to hold on to
and if you’ve never trusted Jesus as
your personal savior this is a perfect
time to do it
he said what do I do
well first of all
you tell him that you believe he is God
I believe that you are I don’t
understand it all but I believe you are
I believe
the testimony of scripture that you sent
Jesus into the world for the primary
purpose of dying on the cross
and somehow though I don’t fully
understand it God somehow I I read in
the scriptures that that his death made
it possible for you to forgive me of my
sins that’s what happened
when he shed his blood
that was his life he laid it down so
when you called upon him to ask him to
forgive you of your sin
he will do so you don’t have to beg and
plead make promises you’re going to do
this no you ask him he says if we
confess our sins he’s faithful and just
the forgive us of our sins and the
cleanses from all unrighteousness
and then he says
we’re forgiven
he writes our name in the Lamb’s Book of
Life That’s the Eternal book
when you die you’re going to heaven not
because you’re perfect
but because his perfect son paid the
perfect price
for you to be forgiven of your sin
it would be a shame for you to die
without Jesus
especially when you’ve heard the truth
and no matter what you’re facing in life
you can be forgiven
he’ll change your Eternal future
if you’ll do that sincerely and that’s
my prayer for you
father have very very very very very
grateful we are
and while we could list many things one
is sufficient
very grateful for Jesus
through whom
every good thing every blessing comes
I pray that every person who hears this
message
would be wise enough
to receive Christ as their savior
and every person going through
difficulty hardship and pain and
suffering and all kinds of adversity
would be willing not by feeling but by
choice willing to start thanking you
for what you’re doing
whatever your reasoning may be
thanking you
for your purpose in their life in Jesus
name amen
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