Are You Thankful for the Hard?
“Can you thank Me for trusting you with this experience if I never tell you why?”
A friend recently read these words to me from Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth’s book “Choosing Gratitude” and they stopped me in my tracks. As a type-A planner, I often function on the “why”. If something is logical and practical and makes sense, it’s easy for me to accept the circumstance. I have even learned to accept situations that don’t necessarily make sense at the time but will eventually. But this question was different and led me to more questions of my own.
Can I and will I choose joy if the circumstance will never make sense to me?
What is required of true gratitude?
How do joy and gratitude go hand-in-hand?
Here’s what the Psalmist says in Psalm 34:1.
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Did you catch the time phrases there? “All times” and “continually”. If gratitude is to be a constant in our lives, we must discipline ourselves to bless and praise the Lord whether we understand our circumstances or not.
Here are a few ways to experience joy-producing gratitude.
Acknowledge That Giving Thanks in Trials Requires Sacrifice
In 2 Samuel 24, the Lord sent a pestilence that killed 70,000 men after David disobeyed Him by conducting a census of the Israelites. Then, through Gad, the Lord commanded David to raise an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite and offer burnt offerings. Arunah wanted to give David the land, supplies, and sacrifices, but David replied like this:
“No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” - 2 Samuel 24:24
Gratitude in trials is similar. When we choose to thank the Lord, we acknowledge His sovereignty and our dependence. We give Him control and submit to His will. We trust His goodness and lay down our fears. And at each point, we surrender more of ourselves. This is the sacrifice required, and this sacrifice produces a posture of joy.
Choose to Thank God By Faith…Not By Sight
Having an eternal perspective enables gratitude even when our trials are at their worst.
Paul knew a thing or two about earthly trials (check out 2 Cor. 11:16-33), and yet wrote this to the Corinthians:
“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.” - 2 Cor. 5:6-7
Paul knew the way to endure trials in this life is to acknowledge they are temporary, face them courageously, and praise the Lord for the eternal work He alone can do. When we choose to thank God by faith, we restore and reorient our perspectives to align with His.
Focus on the End Goal: God’s Glory
“I am the Lord; that is My name; My glory I give to no other…” - Isaiah 42:8a
In trials both big and small there is one thing we know to be true: God deserves the glory. When we choose to thank Him in circumstances we don’t understand, or as we walk joyfully through sorrows, this truth remains an anchor for our soul.
True gratitude expresses thanks for what we know to be true of God (His character, faithfulness, presence, etc.) and then seeks to live in a way that glorifies Him. It’s this inward joy that will give testimony to who God is.
We don’t have to be happy about the hardships that come our way, but we do have an opportunity to express joy and gratitude even when we don’t understand. How are you responding to the trials in your life? Ask the Lord to help you choose true joy today.
Originally published on qsbc.org/women.
