Show Gratitude

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Show gratitude. That is what Simon Peter said. We need to praise the Lord for whatever happens in our lives. He can use our difficult times to be a blessing to others. Through our experiences, we can better understand other people.

What you go through, God can use in the days to come. Some of you have lost children. Although you say it’s not fair, life is not fair. You probably have a more tender heart toward people who suffer loss than anyone else. Because you know the depths of grief, God can use that.

Maybe you have experienced cancer, or maybe you are going through cancer right now. No one can really talk to a cancer patient quite like someone who has experienced it. Don’t ever discount your pain because God does not want you to hide it. He may just want you to use it, and that is powerful. That is how God wants us to live, to be grateful for whatever we have experienced.

You should be especially grateful that the Gospel was preached to you. That is what Simon Peter is saying. I thank the Lord that I was raised in a family that went to church. I was exposed to Bible verses when I was “knee high to a grasshopper.” I thank the Lord that the very first thing our family did whenever we moved, was to look for a church. That is why I went to all kinds of different churches. We finally settled on a church that had a great children’s program. That gave me a lot of things to do, just like our present church does for families.

We need to thank the Lord that someone preached the Gospel to us. That is why the Scripture says in Romans, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” (Romans 10:15) You also have those beautiful feet when you share the Gospel with someone else. Be grateful in all things!