In EVERYTHING give thanks!

When things are going good, it is easy to give thanks to Jesus. What about when things are going not so good?

There is a story about a certain Rabbi (From: Jewishhistory.org):

"Rabbi Akiva’s favorite maxim was, “All that God does He does for the good.” Once, after he was unable to find any place to sleep in a certain city, he passed the night alone in the forest and repeated his maxim calmly, “All that God does is for the good.” Then, one after another, a lion devoured his donkey, a cat killed his rooster and the wind extinguished his candle. Each time he said, “All that God does is for the good.” When dawn arrived he discovered that a band of robbers had fallen upon the city and carried its inhabitants into captivity. Only he had escaped because his donkey and rooster were not around to make any noises and his extinguished candle did not give away his location (Berachos 60b)."

If we think about it, we can remember events in our life that appeared bad at the time, but later worked out to be a blessing! Some of these events were financial. Some of these events were spiritual. People that have turned their back on God, their life going in a bad direction, can experience a catastrophe in their life that turns them back to God and saves their life and soul from destruction. God has a purpose, and ALL things work together for our good.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28 KJV

This is why we can and should give thanks in everything! God is working things out in our life for a purpose and for our good.

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV