How to Be Grateful When You Aren’t Where You Want to Be
By Sarah Frazer
Bible Reading
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)
Two months after returning home from the mission field, I told God I couldn’t give thanks. It was November, and we had just moved into our new home. I cried the first night we slept on the mattress in our empty bedroom. Boxes and suitcases lined the wall, but I curled up in my bed and wept for all of the things we had lost.
November is a month we see lots of pictures and quotes and Bible verses about thanksgiving. But my heart on that first November home was not thankful. This wasn’t how life was supposed to go. I wasn’t at all where I wanted to be. For months I struggled with giving thanks. My heart wanted to praise and be joyful in these circumstances, but I knew that I wasn’t happy with where God was leading our family at the time.
In fact, it felt like God wasn’t leading us at all. The quietness and the lack of direction from God was disheartening. In my head I knew God had not left us, and this was part of His perfect plan. I even told people that I was thankful to be “home.” But deep down I wasn’t.
One day, I read this verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Paul was writing to the church in Thessalonica. If you were to read Acts 17, you would see the hostile environment in which this church was founded. Their circumstances hadn’t much improved since Paul had left them. Maybe some of the believers felt like I did. Maybe they thought to themselves, “I don’t really like it here… this isn’t where I thought I would be.” In the middle of those hard situations, Paul writes and tells the believers to give thanks. Not only just a general “give thanks” - but a specific call to give thanks in all circumstances.
Even the hard ones.
Paul tells the church to give thanks because first this is the will of God. We give thanks because God commands it. We don’t have to feel joyful, but we can rejoice in God despite how we feel. Paul also tells the church to “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Prayer has a way of aligning our hearts to the truth of who God is and His plan for our lives. Prayer connects us to God and that is a great reason to give thanks.
In verse twenty-four of that chapter, Paul says, “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” Paul also says something similar in Philippians 1:6. He says, “And I am sure of this, that he (meaning God) who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” God will work out our lives according to His plan. Those plans include His glory and our good. Romans 8:28-29 tells us this. Paul tells the Romans that they can trust that all things are for their good, which is to be conformed into the image of Christ.
The truth is God is always working and we can give thanks that He never leaves us., We can come to Him in prayer, and He is shaping us to be more like Christ. Although the circumstances might not be good, we can give thanks to a God who has a purpose even when we find ourselves in a place we don’t want to be.
Today, I have come to thank God for changing my plans. There have been a hundred reasons why it was the best thing for our family to move. Does it still hurt? Yes. Does a part of me wish I could be in a different place? Of course. These truths from the Bible help me give thanks. I’ve been told by God to give thanks, God has a purpose for my life, and God will never leave me. I’ve learned that being grateful is not about our surroundings at all, but about the God who surrounds us.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Paul also talks about giving thanks in Philippians 4:6. It says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
How are we to not be anxious? The answer is prayer. Two types of prayer are mentioned here in Philippians 4. The first is supplications. These are the prayers we pray on behalf of others and ourselves. They are the prayers we pray asking God to meet our needs. Maybe you are not in a place you want to be, so ask God to change things. Who better to ask to intervene in a bad situation than God Himself?
After asking God to help you, the next phrase says, “with thanksgiving…”. As we ask God to help us we also give thanks. This is the second type of prayer. If you are struggling to give thanks, look up the additional scriptures and find reasons even today to give thanks to God!
What about your current situation feels less than joyful? How has God shown up in your life recently? Take your cares and concerns to God, thanking Him for being with you.
Further Reading:
Philippians 4
Psalm 7:17
Psalm 95:1-3
Psalm 100:4
Psalm 107
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/AntonioGuillem
Sarah E. Frazer is a writer, Bible study mentor, wife of Jason, and mother of five. With a background in missionary work, Sarah encourages the weary woman to find peace in Jesus. She is a regular contributor to the Proverbs 31 First 5 app writing team as well as a featured writer for Crosswalk.com. Her favorite place to hang out is Instagram at @sarah_e_frazer.
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
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