Daily Devotional - A Time of Gratitude - WK46 - 11/13/24 - Day 297 "Thankfulness in the Valley"

Author: Evangelist Jamie Hoffman

“Thankfulness in the Valley”
Scripture: James 1:2-4

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
 
Devotion:
I read something recently in an online article that really stood out to me. Sarah J. Houser stated, “Instead of looking at God through the lens of our circumstances, we need to look at our circumstances through the lens of who God is.” There is nothing too hard for God. I don’t care what it looks like or feels like. God can do anything but fail!

Our scripture today encourages us to count it all joy when we fall into temptation or hard times. What? You mean I can be sick and still have joy? I can lose my job and still have joy? I can lose a loved one and still have joy? How can I keep my spirit of thanksgiving amid life's trials and tribulations? Well, it ain’t easy, that’s for sure! What does it say about us if we praise God only during times of joy and prosperity? God’s word lets us know that we all have a measure of faith. It is up to us to grow that measure of faith by staying connected to Him. God wants us to praise Him at ALL times. He wants us to praise Him when we’re on the mountain top, and praise Him when we are in the valley low.

Trials and tribulations don’t come to break us or to destroy us, they come to test and grow our faith in God. As we mature in Christ and encounter life's challenges, we can get to a place in God that allows us to maintain our gratitude despite what we feel. We can ask, God, how can You get the glory out of what I am going through? When we are truly leaning and depending on God in every area of our lives, we can shout in the valley because God is with us. We can rejoice in the wilderness because God is yet making provision for us in a dry and destitute place. God is perfecting us if we willingly submit to the process.

Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for perfecting all that You have started in me. Help me submit to You in every area of my life. Help me give thanks in all that I go through. Amen.