A pastor was talking to the mother of a little girl who had just recovered from a near-fatal illness. The woman said, “Wasn’t God good to give us back our child?” The minister was about to voice his agreement when an arresting thought entered his mind. The woman was surprised when he answered, “Yes, but would not God have been just as good, or just as kind, if your child had not been spared?” The mother hesitated. Her face clouded over. At last, though halfheartedly and without conviction, she conceded that her pastor was right.

    It takes an unshakable confidence in the wisdom, power, and love of God to give “thanks always for all things” (Ephesians 5:20). This does not mean we delight in pain and suffering. We simply cling to His unchanging attributes. It’s easy to be happy when everything seems to be going our way. We readily express thanks to God when we receive the things we desire. But there’s often an opposite response when we find ourselves in adverse situations and our heavenly Father does not grant our requests. The trusting child of God, however, learns to praise the Lord in every circumstance.

    Romans 8:28 has become so familiar to many of us that we sometimes fail to appreciate it. But it’s a comforting truth that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

Thanks for thorns as well as roses

Thanks for weakness and for health

Thanks for clouds as well as sunshine

Thanks for poverty and wealth!