"Giving Thanks in Trials"

Giving Thanks for Trials

 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:2-3

I had already picked out the title for my Blog last week and was ready to begin writing.  I woke up that morning and as soon as my feet hit the floor when I let out a loud scream and grabbed the nearest thing to hang on to so I wouldn’t fall to the floor.  Something was terribly wrong with my knee and was the worse pain I had ever experienced. 

I finally got into the doctor a week later went from using a cane to a walker and then a wheelchair.  They couldn’t do much but ordered an MRI for me.  This week on Monday, my husband pushed me into the MRI office where I had to ride the ramp up to get in the tube.  I couldn’t get up on the table because I couldn’t put any weight on my foot without screaming pain.

Finally I was on the table with my knee in a clamp to hold it in place. The machine began its loud rapping and banging. To pass time I began praying and asking the Lord how I could give thanks in the pain and the situation I was in.  I don’t know anyone that actually enjoys having an MRI.  I’ve had several over the years and hate having to go headfirst into the tube. But if I don’t open my eyes while I’m in there I’m okay, but I sure don’t like it. All of a sudden I realized I had much to be thankful for; I didn’t have to go in head first because it was a knee. Next, I was thankful for this machine that could look inside and see what was wrong and for the doctor who would know to fix it.

I still don’t have the results of the MRI, but I’m sure it will be taken care of.  It’s as though God is saying, “Relax, I’ve got this.”  Then on top of that, after a week, the pain is getting less.  I don’t know why, but I am very thankful.

Today was the day I planned to go buy my flowers and veggie plants, but my legs weren’t strong enough walk so far pushing a big cart.  Don’t you love the chorus we sing in church?  “God will make a way where there seems to be no way.”  So God gave me the idea to sit in a wheelchair while my husband pushed me and I pushed the flower cart.  It worked great! There was a way – more reason to praise and thank God.

Philippians 4:6 tells that we should not, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”  It’s alright to ask the Lord for help.  He wants you to trust Him enough to ask and pray. He doesn’t want his children to be anxious; he wants to help you. He only asks that you be thankful. There is no way a person can thank God for all the things he does for you.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! [Philippians 4:4] Another way of thanking God is by rejoicing in the Lord. I am so grateful that God looked at me and saw how desperately I needed him. I will always rejoice in a God who loved me enough to die for me.  If you want to be a victorious Christian, there are 3 things to follow in I Thessalonians 5:16-18.

1.      Rejoice always

2.      Pray without ceasing

3.      In everything give thanks

“For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”