Being thankful is a hard task to master on a day-to-day basis. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 it says, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  Remembering to give thanks through all circumstances can seem like a nearly impossible task, especially with the pressures of every day life. Sometimes we can literally forget to be thankful, or we may even choose not to be.  Satan has a way of making us feel miserable when things don’t go our way and he loves to see all of God’s children in pain. As unfortunate as this sounds, there is good news. God gives us circumstances in our everyday life, to teach us to be thankful for the lessons we learn, no matter how difficult, scary or uncertain things may be.

 Each trial we face, whether it is considered big or small is an opportunity to grow and change our way of thinking about any situation. We can either be miserable about the way things are going in our lives, or we can give thanks for the opportunities as well as the trials that come our way and learn from the hardships we face. Learning to give thanks and praise God through hardships is something every person struggles with.

People may say, “How can I pray and thank God that my loved one has cancer? Where is God when I need Him the most?”  In that situation, you can find comfort in His word, with Mathew 28:20, 18 “surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Come to Him and He will give you the reassurance and peace you need through that difficult time. Even though it can be extremely difficult to be thankful when someone is sick in your family, take that ultimate peace that God gives you and that He wants to give you. He wants to bring healing to your loved one. All you have to do is ask Him for that peace and He will provide.

Another situation could be “How can I give thanks in the middle of a job loss? How do I provide for my family?” In the midst of this uncertain situation, God is still working and will help you through it by providing for all your needs. God can provide ways for you to get another job quickly, by having friends offer to watch your child or children or cook dinner for you and your family. God will provide ways for you to get employment even when there seems to be no way. God knows exactly what you need in order to support your daily body and life. Lean on His promises.  Mathew 6:26, tells us not to worry about our material possessions. 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

 James 1:17, says, “17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
God didn’t intend for this life to be hard and stressful for His children. But He knew He had to send His son in order to restore peace to all of us. He gives us that peace through getting to know Him personally and being willing to work on a relationship with Him, much less giving thanks to Him in all circumstances. Even though it is very difficult to remember to give Him thanks in all circumstances, you can start out small, jut by thanking Him for waking you up in the morning and giving you the breath of life.  You can also thank Him that you have the family you have, and thanking Him that you have a job. You can also thank Him for the open ability, not to mention privilege and honor and opportunity that you have as His child to get to know Him better on a personal level.

 There is nothing He enjoys more than to hear His child crying out to Him in prayer. You can also thank Him for the business of your life with juggling your job and having the kids running around. It might be a face-paced life, but it’s your life. Thanking Him for the friends He’s placed in your life can be another step towards learning how to keep giving Him the thanks He deserves. When people ask how you are doing, tell them how blessed you are by God and that may even open up the door for opportunities to witness about His love to them.  There is nothing more amazing than having the opportunity to witness for Christ and to be His instrument, even in times of struggle. Often times it is in our most vulnerable times and hard times that we begin to come closer to God.

Throughout your life, if you learn to be thankful for the little things that happen in your day to day basis, then you can learn to appreciate the trials and big opportunities that come every day as well. God is using them to help make you a better person and to help you get to know Him better. Give thanks for the little things can help you appreciate the big things in life. Sometimes, the little things are the big things.