Ingratitude is never God’s will for us

Discovering God’s will for our lives is not as complicated as we oftentimes make it. If the Bible is true, and we choose a Biblical frame-of-reference for identifying why gratitude unto the Lord is such an integral aspect of our moment by moment life, then we’ll be better equipped to be grateful more than just on Thanksgiving Day or when we’re experiencing ‘mountain top’ seasons.

James was the half-brother of Jesus (same mom, different dad), and he wrote in James 1:2-4, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

Pastor Charles Stanley used to always say, “Disappointment is a part of every day life, but discouragement is a choice if you’re a Christian.”

The Apostle Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

I believe we all have a choice regarding our perspective and how we handle adversity, trials, and the inevitable storms of life that we will all face in this world as it currently is under the curse of sin.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:14-18, “Knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sake, so that grace, having spread to more and more people, will cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Isn’t it great that we know Who to be grateful to, as well as Who we can trust when He says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you!” Hebrews 13:5