Thanks in All Things
“At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.” Ephesians 5:20
I recently went on a silent retreat. During times of reflection I offered God thanks for many things. One day, I was sitting in class listening to the instructor teach about prayer and my eye started twitching. This twitch is something that has been bothering me daily for a few months now. More than anything it is annoying because it just comes out of nowhere. It isn’t painful, and I’m thankful for that, but I would like it to go away and never come back. In that class I started praying, “Jesus, make the twitch go away.” Since the twitch usually subsides on its own after a few seconds, I couldn’t tell if my prayer worked or if the twitch just stopped like it normally does.
During the next class, it came back. I started praying more, “Jesus, heal this twitch”, over and over. At the next class, the twitch was back. That’s when Holy Spirit spoke to me and reminded me to give thanks. As my eye twitched, I started thanking Jesus, “Jesus, thank you for this conference. Thank you for blessing me so I can attend. Thank you for the rest. Thank you for such inspired teaching.” My eye didn’t stop twitching and it still comes and goes but it has become a good reminder to pause and give thanks to the Lord.
I also get bad cramps in my feet sometimes during my sleep. Since this retreat was at a Catholic center, there were many crucifixes showing Jesus nailed to the cross, through his hands and feet. I thought how painful it must have been when they drove the nails through His feet. I decided that when I woke in pain I could use it as an opportunity to recall the Grace of God and offer my thanks for what He went through to achieve our salvation.
Prayer
Savior, as I gaze on Your wounded feet and stare into your agonized eyes. I think of the love Your heart poured out as You died with forgiveness on Your lips. Help me be thankful even when this life brings me challenges and pains. Thank you for achieving for us what we could not.
Offering thanks as we suffer can be difficult. Hopefully these songs and resources can help developing this spiritual discipline as we find our everlasting joy in Christ.
Even when we’re hurting, we have small blessings we can acknowledge. Giving praise for these things can help us not be consumed by depression and darkness when the challenges of life get the better of us. This song is a simple but familiar hymn that can soothe the soul.
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