
1 Thessalonians 5:18“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Sincere gratitude. Being truly grateful in both bad times and good times. Today’s devotional scripture highlights that God’s will for believers is to give thanks in all circumstances. It emphasizes the importance of living a life of gratitude and aligning our will with God’s will by acknowledging His goodness and faithfulness in all things.
Wait On The Lord
Impatience often arises when a person is waiting, particularly when the thing we are waiting for has not come yet. The more we underestimate the “waiting”, the more we will act recklessly. This is also true of our waiting for the Lord’s second coming. There are many who call themselves Christians who are no longer enthusiastic in their waiting. Instead, they are drowning in worldly activities.
In these waiting periods we should be more active in serving God and not abstaining from worship meetings (Hebrews 10:25-36), but continuing to train ourselves through worship, because godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. (1 Timothy 4: 8).
We must wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus in hope, staying in His presence, for no one knows the exact timing of the coming of the Lord Jesus. “Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.” (Matthew 24:46).
Paul gives a picture of the coming of the Lord like a thief who comes at night and like a pregnant woman who is experiencing a labor pain, meaning the coming of Jesus can happen suddenly, but it will happen. This is what the Word of God says to us as His church: See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5: 15-17).
“The sin both of men and of angels, was rendered possible by the fact that God gave us free will.” C. S. Lewis

Reflections: Watching for Jesus’s return means being conscious of our being as children of light, so that we are no longer living in darkness.
Prayer: God, please remind me of Your goodness. Remind me of everything You’ve done for me. Forgive me for not being thankful and for having a heart often full of complaints. Grow me in gratefulness and joy. Amen.