Years ago, on a Saturday, I had great plans to get a lot of projects done, while my wife was at a women’s conference.  Throughout the week leading up to Saturday, I had compiled a list of projects and the necessary supplies to accomplish them.  On Saturday morning, I spent time with the Lord and then backed my car out of the garage, parked it on the driveway, and began my projects in the garage.  Then I got my list and got in the car to go buy the supplies.  But the car was now dead – the starter would not even turn over.  After a little troubleshooting, I determined that the battery was fine, but the starter had died.  

“God, are You kidding me?  This is going to totally derail my plans for today!”  Then God gently reminded me of something that my wife and I had been learning at that time, and have continued to learn in the years that followed:

We must give thanks for everything (by looking at the blessings that God has given in the past), and give thanks in everything (by thanking God even in the midst of challenging circumstances):

Ephesians 5:20 NASB  always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB  in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Application:  In every situation we encounter in this physical world, we are to give thanks to God.  This attitude of thanks allows us to enter into (and dwell within) the secret place of God  in our spiritual lives:

Psalms 91:1 NIV  Whoever dwells in the shelter [the secret place, the protection] of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

If we do not have an attitude of thanks in everything, then we demonstrate a lack of trust in God to do all things well in our lives, and a lack of trust in God’s complete and unlimited power in our lives:

Mark 7:37a NASB  They were utterly astonished, saying, "He has done all things well."

Ephesians 1:18-19a NASB  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,  (19)  and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.   [These verses serve as reminders of God's omnipotence and the assurance that nothing is beyond His control or ability to redeem. They inspire us as believers to trust in God's power and to respond with faith, trust, and obedience.]

Only after I had paused to give God thanks for this car failure did it hit me:  this was such an act of mercy on God’s behalf toward me.  That starter was the original starter – 17 years old, with over 220,000 miles of use!  God had not only blessed its useful life, but had orchestrated its failure to be in the absolute most convenient way for me to take care of it.  It failed at home (not leaving me stranded somewhere away from home) -- and in the driveway (instead of the garage), where I had room to work on it.  

I spent most of the day locating a starter, watching YouTube videos of how to replace it, and then doing the repair.  Since my wife had ridden to the conference with some friends, I even had her car available to go pick up the new starter!  (And I did end up having enough time to also pick up the supplies on my list, and even complete a few of my projects.)

Abraham Lincoln said, “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”

O God, thank You for reminding me again of the importance of having an attitude of gratitude in every situation.  Give me the grace to always pause and thank You, whether I am feeling blessed or burdened in the situation.  It is only by first thanking You, that I am then able to see Your ultimate purposes in the challenges I am facing.  Even more importantly, thanksgiving is the prerequisite for enjoying Your presence in our lives.  

Psalm 100:4 NASB  Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

Today, I encourage you to “Reflect on This.”