“…In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus…” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)
I once heard the story of a woman who lost her husband just six months after they got married. It was a very traumatic experience for her because he died trying to save her and other family members from a gang who were shooting in the neighborhood. He succeeded in saving his family but was shot in the process and died instantly. During the interview his widowed wife was asked how she handled her grief. It was a shocking response. She said, “It was a lot to handle but believing that the hope that is to come will far exceed any momentary affliction is the thing that helped me…”. There were moments when I just lie prostrate on the floor crying but I kept saying, nevertheless you are my God. I had to remind myself of Who God is and I continued to praise Him because I knew his plans are always better than mine.” During the course of the interview she also said two weeks after the death of her husband she discovered that she was pregnant and this brought her a lot of Joy. She wasn’t expecting it, because they were not planning to have children yet. But God thought about her and had no desire for her to be alone. So, even though she didn’t have her husband with her anymore, she still had a part of him. For her, this child was God’s gift to her. And God’s way of helping her come out of her loneliness.
Now, having read this, it is important to understand that we Christians should learn to always respond to God in praise, no matter what situation we find ourselves in. It’s amazing to see the value this woman had for God and how she continued to praise God irrespective of her current situation. And I believe her attitude was what gave her the pregnancy she never expected. You know, sometimes we tend to blame God for everything, especially when someone dies. You hear people say things like, “Oh God why! Why couldn’t you save him! How come you left me alone and didn’t come to my rescue?” The question is do these words help in any way? No they don’t. We are expected to appreciate Him in all situations. There shouldn’t be seasons when God receives our praises and seasons when He doesn’t. We should learn to praise God all the time, whether in good times or bad times; troubled times or peaceful times. This is the response of a child of God. If you haven’t been doing this, well, it’s great you had the opportunity to learn this today. Start something new! Start responding to God with praise in all things.
Today’s Rhema
No matter the situation, praise Him anyway!
Confession for the Day
I will praise you oh my savior, I will praise you Lord of my life. I will praise you, Prince of peace. Because in all the earth there can be none like you and none can be compared to you in Jesus name. Amen!
