But Did You Die? - The Crosswalk Devotional - January 16
But Did You Die?
By Kelly Balarie
Bible Reading:
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
On the way to the grocery store, I instructed the Lord that I really needed Him to speak to me. I needed Him to speak to me about why things have been so hard and what to do…
Frankly, it’s been a beyond-hard season. I wasn’t trying to be demanding of the Lord, but I’d gone through such a deep “stripping back,” and now I was calling out. Asking Him to speak to me was one way I was doing this. The other ways tended to be griping and complaining, so I figured this was a better avenue than those. Truth is, I am still working my faith out, with fear on some days and trembling on others. It’s not always easy.
Anyway, I asked this small request of God, and hoped He would come through. In the meantime, I went into the grocery store, got my goods, and headed back to my car. As I carted my goods towards the vehicle, though, I spotted a bumper sticker.
It said, “But did you die?
Frankly, the sticker felt a little unempathetic, in-your-face, and kind of rude, but still, it tugged at my heart.
Everything has gone wrong. But did you die?
People are not agreeing with me. But did you die?
Everything is not going my way. But did you die?
I’m not catching a break. But did you die?
I have done so much wrong. But did you die?
Those people aren’t acting how I want them to. But did you die?
The question, “But did you die” highlighted the fact that I am alive and that there is still room for thanks.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18)
Wow. I didn’t die. I am not dying. God kept me alive. I am at a grocery store buying food. I have food. Thank you, God. There is good in all this. Thank you, God. I rejoice in your safekeeping. I am thankful for the groceries going into my cart. I am alive! I rejoice because I may not have all the answers or all that I think I need, but you have all that, and you are keeping my life. Thank you, God.
It is not as much about me knowing everything as much as it is about me trusting God in everything, giving thanks, and doing His will. Eve, in the garden, thought she needed to know everything, and learned the knowledge of good and evil, and how did that work out for her?
We don’t always have to know – to rejoice. We don’t have to have it be the best day – to pray. We don’t have to see everything go our way – to praise. God’s will is not dependent on our circumstances, but if we do God’s will, I believe, it will work right into our circumstances.
God’s will is simple, and it works. God’s will is that we rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. We can do this! This is solid direction for the searching.
What is getting us down today? But did we die? For that, we can give thanks. There is always good reason to thank the Lord. He gives us our beating hearts and sustains our lives. All of this is a reminder that God is constantly faithful.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
How might your praise change the face of the prison you find yourself in? What might it do to you emotionally to start thanking God for the small grain of goodness you see in your life? What can you give thanks for today? What might you need to pray about? What praise can you offer to the One who loves you and who has good plans for you?
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/AaronAmat
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Related Resource: 3 Simple Steps to Manage Your Emotions
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