Why Do we need to Thank God For The Bad Times?
Summary: It’s easy to thank God when everything is going good. It’s not so easy to thank God when everything is going wrong. During these times it’s hard to be thankful. Yet the Bible clearly teaches that we are to be thankful for even the bad times. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (5:18)
There are some good reasons why we should be thanking God for the bad times.
I. God may be using adversity to get our attention: To get Saul’s attention, God struck him blind with a bright light. Lying on the Damascus Road, Saul asked, (Acts 9:5-6) “5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”
i. We can safely assume that every time we are going through a major trial, God is trying to get our attention in some fashion.
ii. Suffering is a tool God uses frequently to get our attention and to accomplish His purposes in our lives. When we go through trials we are forced to turn from trusting in our own resources to looking to God for deliverance. Adversity prompts us to turn to God and cry out to Him when we don’t see light at the end of the tunnel. Bartimaeus the blind. Mark 10: 47-49 “47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.”
Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
II. God may be using adversity to draw us nearer to Him: Psalms 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple
i. God wants us to walk with Him in sweet communion. But often we neglect that relationship especially when things go good and we feel that we are in full control. *Therefore, He may send the storms of life to shake our world that we might run for shelter. Job 19: 25 “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:”
III. God may be using adversity to strengthen us:
i. God does not allow us to suffer in order to destroy us, but to discipline and strengthen us.
ii. 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.”
D. 1 Peter 5:10 “10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you..”
E. Our strength often increases in proportion to the obstacles which are imposed upon it.
F. Colossians 1:11 “11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;.”
IV. God may be using adversity to refine/improve us.
God wants us to realize that there are consequences to our decision and actions. God uses adversity to show us what is in our hearts, to purify us
D. Psalm 119:71-72 “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.”
E. Romans 5:3-5 “...we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
G. Job 23:10 “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
V. God may be using adversity to make us a blessing to others:
Do you remember the adversity that Joseph went through in the book of Genesis as his brothers sold him into slavery? Years later the reason behind the adversity became apparent.
E. Genesis 50:20 “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive.”