Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.
Earlier this month in KXP, we were talking about ambassadors and what it means to be one. It was fun to see and hear first graders define it in their own words. It’s always one of my favorite parts of a lesson – asking the kids what a word means. Usually, their simplicity holds the most truth. One child said, “It is to show our friends what God is like.”
Paul tells us that we do not know the day or hour the day of the Lord will come. For those not in his light, it will be a shock. He goes on to tell us that we are children of the light, and as such, we should not be surprised. We should not be asleep, but rather we should be alert and self-controlled.
Not to be an old-school Baptist, but the day of the Lord is coming. Whether it be this evening, this month, or a hundred years from now. One day, it will happen, and until that day comes, we need to be good ambassadors of Christ. In verses 16 through 18, Paul shows us how we can be good ambassadors. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
I don’t know about you, but it’s hard for me to give thanks in ALL circumstances. When we had weeks of 100°+ temperatures, it was hard to give thanks (though when that temperature finally dropped and we saw rain for the first time in what felt like years, I couldn’t stop thanking Him!). I blended in with those around me with my complaints and misery. I did not stand apart by finding things to be grateful for even when there were a plethora of reasons I should have been giving thanks. In those weeks, I could only focus on the suffocating pressure of the heat. And that’s not even a “real” trial. That was small in the grand scheme of things.
Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
- As you go throughout your day, take time to ask Jesus to give you the strength to live in His light.
Family Devo: 1 Thessalonians 5
By: Anna Beth Scott
When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.
Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset
Head
Paul gives the church of Thessalonica instructions on what God wants them to do in these three verses. At first look, it seems pretty simple – be joyful, pray constantly, and give thanks. However, when going through a hard season of life, it can be very difficult to do these things. Paul basically says never stop rejoicing, never stop praying, and never stop giving thanks.
The Mayo Clinic Health System published an article about the health benefits of gratitude. The article was written by Amanda Logan, a nurse practitioner. She explains that scientific studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve sleep, mood, and immunity. She states, “Gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain, and risk of disease.” Our physical bodies respond for the better when we’re thankful. Wow!
Heart
So, how do we continue to rejoice, pray, and give thanks when we’re struggling with difficult circumstances?
We have to have a solid understanding of who we’re rejoicing, who we’re praying to, and who we’re thanking. In easy times and hard times, God is still good. He is always there for us. He never leaves us and never forsakes us. He gives us purpose, even in our pain. He seeks after us and rejoices over us! He makes a way when there is no way. If we’ve placed our trust in Jesus, we have the assurance of being with him in Heaven when we die. We can always rejoice in these truths. Rejoicing, being joyful, is not a feeling. It’s something we choose to do. When we choose to trust Christ in every circumstance, He gives us peace which in turn gives us joy. We can be sad and have joy at the same time. It all starts with trusting Christ in our salvation, but also in the specific details of our lives. I love that God wants us to be in constant prayer! This doesn’t mean we should stay home in a room all by ourselves with our heads bowed and eyes closed all day, every day. It means you have an open conversation with God all day long. He is always with you, so you can always talk to Him. He wants you to talk to Him about everything!
Hands
There’s something powerful that happens when we write things down. From writing a to-do list to writing a thank you card, there’s power in the written word. It makes it real. I encourage you to get out a piece of paper and your favorite writing utensil and write down three promises of God. Next, write down three things you are thankful for. Remind yourself of these things every day and let them start your prayer each morning. Add to your gratitude list each day.
Prayer: Dear God, thank You for Your promises. You promise to never leave me and never forsake me. You promise to forgive me when I repent. You promise to give me a hope and a future. You say I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank You! Thank You for saving me from the punishment of sin. I choose to trust You! In Jesus’s name, I pray, Amen.