Thought for the day: In everything give thanks.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  (1 Thesslonians 5:18)

After being reborn from above early in 1974 i felt challenged to find my life verse, a Bible verse that would best define me and my new life in Christ.

It was late February, lots of snow on the ground, it started to snow, mixed with sleet. I was in church, and the Pastor happened to mention the verse: Rejoice always. This seemed unrealistic to me, but my eyes fell on the next verse, and I made up my mind to give thanks for everything. Going out, there was a lot of slush in the parking lot, and as I started the car (an old Volvo with manual transmission), after putting the car in reverse my foot slipped on the clutch, breaking the gearbox.

This was the first test, and it was easy to thank God for his protection from something worse. So I gave thanks for the broken transmission.

Years passed and I found it more and more difficult to give thanks for everything that befell me. Then, 40 years later, after revisiting the verse many time I suddenly realized. It doesn’t say “For everything give thanks” but “In everything give thanks”.

Thanks God, that feels much better. With times being what they are it is still possible to give thanks, no matter the circumstances.