In our devotions this evening, my husband and I read an interesting story written by Merlin Carothers. (Praise, incidentally, is the main theme in all of his booklets, and he has eight or nine -- including his well-known booklet "From Prison to Praise.")
The story told about an attorney who was an habitual drunk for years but who gave his heart to the Lord and was delivered from his drinking habit. In his jubilation for what the Lord had done for him, he tried talking about it to Christian people. When they wouldn't listen to him, he began witnessing to prisoners in jail, and giving them Bibles. Many were converted through his ministry. However, he was nervous about his witnessing and asked God to give him a calmness of spirit. Then one day he read I Thessalonians 5:18: "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." He realized he had never done that. And as he began thanking and praising the Lord, his nervousness left!
Notice the verse doesn't say "give thanks FOR everything;" it says "give thanks IN everything." There's a big difference between "for" and "in." You may not be able to thank and praise the Lord FOR your given circumstances, but you can thank and praise him IN your circumstances.
Meditate on that difference, then start praising God IN your circumstances.
Preacher's Kid
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