Grateful For Everything

What are you grateful for?  Big bank account, expensive care or house? Family/friends?  Yeah, we're all grateful for these things.  But what about insignificant things?  We're taught in the Bible that we should be thankful for all things.  It's hard to be thankful for the rain when we're driving to a destination or have plans for a picnic or some other activity outside.  Or maybe we have planted a garden and feel we have enough rain, but the Lord says there needs to be more.

I remember a coworker years ago who started on her way to a function and it was raining.  She asked me to pray the rain would stop so she wouldn't get wet.  Instead, trying to be grateful for everything, including the rain, I asked the Lord to help her stay dry when she got out of the car.  We don't like for anything to stand in our way when we are planning activities.  We want everything to be just right.

You how it is.  We don't want to be too hot or cold, or hungry for any length of time. But not everything can be just right all the time.  For one thing, we're all different.  Plus, the Lord knows what's best for us.  If we never had anything to go wrong in our lives, we'd probably find it difficult to be grateful for things. When I was working as cashier, so many customers would complain about the weather.  It was too hot or cold, or rainy. 

One year, during the winter, I was trying so hard to be grateful for the cold weather.  I am cold natured and I absolutely hate to be cold.  So as I walked to and from my car, I'd thank the Lord for the cold, the wind, and rain.  Finally, one day, when it was so cold, I stopped and told the Lord, "Ok, Lord, I've been trying to be grateful for the winter and cold weather.  And I have tried to not complain about it.  But it's official, I'm complaining.  It's cold."

We're taught in the Bible to give thanks in all things.  So when something happens to me, I try to thank the Lord for it.  But let me make it clear that it is not easy to be thankful for everything.  It isn't easy to be thankful when bad things happen to us.  But how many times have we heard or read where someone got saved when faced with something and their back was against the wall. 

There are times when we won't listen to the Lord until something happens to us.  Then we begin to pray and start asking God why it happened.  It just might be that he is trying to get your attention.  I'm not trying to judge anyone.  But I do want each of us, including myself to think about these things.  It's easy to pray and thank the Lord for blessings when things are going our way.

I challenge everyone, including myself, to pray and thank the Lord for everything he has blessed us with in our lives.