pray without ceasing,
in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Being able to give thanks in everything is the will of God for us! Sometimes it is not easy to give thanks, particularly during the hard times when things aren't going the way we wish they would go. That is why prayer precedes giving thanks. "Pray without ceasing." In other words, don't lose heart or give up on trusting the Lord. He does know our needs and is listening to our prayers. That is what we can rejoice in...that God loves us, hears us, and acts on our behalf. This verse states that God's will for those who put their trust in Jesus, is that they will be able to rejoice, pray, and give thanks, always and in every situation.
We recently returned from a vacation to one of our favorite places, Sedona, Arizona. We have a couple favorite places to eat, but the main attraction for us is hiking and exploring the trails that abound in the valley and in the canyons. We don't grow tired of the sweeping vistas and breath taking views of red rock bluffs and beautiful trees.
For the past couple of years I have been struggling with chronic back pain and spasms, which can strike without warning and put me down for hours or days. A couple of weeks before our planned trip to Sedona, I received prayer for my pain at our church. I believed I had received healing, however several days later pain returned. I continued, with thanksgiving, to pray and trust that God had begun a healing and that He would complete it! The day that we drove to Sedona, I noticed that the pain was gone. The next day I was able to hike through some spectacular trails, without pain during or after our treks.
You can read more about God's healing power in the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament. Luke's account of Jesus' ministry has multiple examples of God's power healing many types of afflictions. To some a healing came immediately and other times it came through faithful obedience to Jesus' words. Those who reached out to Jesus in faith were made whole and well! After their healing they glorified and praised God!
I continue to trust that God is completing His healing in my back and so "in everything I will give thanks." I put together a short video of our hike, as a gift of thanks to the Lord, which you can access at the link below. I hope you will enjoy the beautiful views of Sedona, while you rejoice with me, and join me in glorifying and praising God for what He is doing in healing me!
https://youtu.be/3Iw5T9UN1rI
I also encourage you to add your comments below:
- What are you rejoicing in?
- What are you praying for?
- What are you giving thanks for?
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