In Not For

1 Thessalonians 5:¹⁸ “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (NIV).

A stronghold is a fortified structure designed to withstand attack or invasion. A heavily fortified military infrastructure. A fortress, a citadel, a position that is strong and defended. A stronghold is usually associated with strength, security, and defence. Over the next few days, we are going to focus on building a stronghold of gratitude. Imagine your life is protected with gratitude. Imagine having a bulwark or a wall, a fortress of gratitude all around you, all around your home, finances, children, and every part of your life. That is what God wants for us. God wants us to be tucked into the stronghold of gratitude.

But it is tough. It is tough to be grateful when things are not working. It is tough to put in your best and it is as if it is not yielding the results that you expect. It is tough when you have to go through challenging health situations and be thankful and grateful at the same time. It is tough when you are a victim of discrimination and intimidation. Racism is real and rife. I know folks say there is nothing like racism, or that it is all in your mind. No, discrimination exists and if you or your child has experienced it, you know it is very painful. For people to think that they are better than you because they do not have enough melanin glands in their skin (which we can call a deficiency). Meanwhile, you have sufficient melanin to shield and protect you from the sun. And as painful as that is, imagine how much more painful it is when you are with your people, and you are still being discriminated against.

Discrimination is evil. It is beyond the colour of the skin. It is the sick state of the heart. It can be tough to be going through discrimination and to be grateful to God at the same time. It can be tough to be having a relationship challenge and be grateful. It can be tough to not have someone you can call your own, or perhaps the person you call your own has become someone else’s own. It can be challenging to be grateful in such situations. However, God has called us to be grateful. He says 1 Thessalonians 5:¹⁸ “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (NIV, emphasis added). The key word in this scripture is in and not for. A lot of people struggle because how can someone who just lost his source of livelihood be thankful for that? God is not telling you to be thankful for that. God is saying be thankful in that.

Prayer: Father, I ask for the grace, strength, and courage to be thankful in all circumstances—fixing my eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of my faith, in Jesus Name. Amen!