Thank You

     It's always easy to say "thank you" for something nice.  It is always easy to say it when the waiter just filled your glass of ice tea or when someone opens the door for you.  It's easy to say it when you find a helping hand to carry a load of books, or equipment or your groceries into the house.  Those are the easy times to say "thank you."  I have had some good days now and then and I find that it was easy to say "Thanks" for what took place during those days, even to God.  After all, He was responsible for it all in the first place.  I played a Saxophone solo yesterday and mentioned to my friend out West of here in Illinois, that I didn't pass out.  At my age, that is always a possibility but I made it through just 3 and a half minutes of playing.  Of course, the lips were worn out but I made it through and can honestly say "Thanks" to God for allowing it to be.  Yes, that's the easy part.  First Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  
       Of course, there is another side of the coin.  You still need to say "Thanks" but the scene changes to the doctor's office who informs you of a new problem with hard consequences to accept.  The scene might also be in Houston, Texas or Miami, Florida or your own hometown that just underwent a terrible storm.  I was thankful to Trixie, my dog, who danced on my chest while the house was burning getting us all out alive.  I can also be thankful for the surgeon that held my heart in his hands and repaired it.  Things are not always comfortable and can sometimes be very perplexing to us as we don't know how things are going to come out.  There are those times of just plain spiritual heaviness where we cry out for prayer sometimes not even knowing why or what the problem is.  Still, we go back to the words of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians when he said, "...in everything, give thanks...."  You may be under pressure today.  You may know why or you may not know the reason, but still, there is that basic need to thank God for the situation knowing that He takes care of us because He loves us and knows what's best for us.   Rest in Him and trust Him for His leading in your life.  Praise God and give thanks to Him today for His working in your life.