How Can I Be Thankful In My Trials and Troubles?

Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Thanksgiving is when we celebrate and recognize God’s past and present goodness in our lives.     Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to “turn our cares into prayers!” And when casting cares in prayer: “Pray with thanksgiving!” 

In thankful prayer, I “count my many blessings and name them one by one,” as the hymn says, this “reminds me of what the Lord has done.”  Thanksgiving reminds me of how good and faithful the Lord has been in the past.  Thanksgiving is the doorway to faith.  If God has been gracious, merciful, and kind to me in the past I can surely claim his promises for the future.  Here are some reasons I can be thankful in my trial:  

God has not given us more than we can handle:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (I Corinthians 10:13)

God is working in our trial for our good:  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good… (Genesis 50:20a)

God is training us as a loving, heavenly Father: 

For they (Our Fathers) verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10) God disciplines His own children in a Fatherly way.  Remember, when bad things happen, God is not “giving us what we deserve.” What we deserve is actually hell. Instead, God is molding us into something beneficial for our benefit and capacity to bless others.  God does chasten His children, but it is always for our benefit.    “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” (Psalms 119:67)

God is working on our virtues: 

Job suffered the loss of all things: his children, his wealth, the confidence of his friends, and the support of his wife. Yet, he knew that God was doing a work in his life. He said, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10). Because of Job’s tested and tried “golden life,” he has strengthened and encouraged fellow believers for thousands of years!

God will give us sufficient strength to meet every trial:

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (II Corinthians 12:9)  When Paul prayed about his “thorn in the flesh,” God didn’t change the circumstance; He changed Paul.  God gave Paul the strength to meet his trial.  We can be thankful for God’s sufficient grace.