Thankful. Always.

"It is not you doing it yourself when you can look back and say, like Joseph to his brothers, 'You meant it for evil but God meant it for good.' It's not you. That is not normal and that is not natural. You have to be under something in order to be able to say that." -Rev. Dr. Samuel Vassel

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20)

When we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit, we exhibit behavior which is produced by the presence of the Spirit. It is a behavior that confounds the enemy of our souls and confuses those who are not in relationship with Jesus Christ. Even when we are marginalized or persecuted, we do not seek rescue. Instead, we rest in the fact of our having been reconciled to Christ. That rest produces a heart filled with thanks and praise.

How is that we can be singing in the midst of evil days? The person under the influence of the Holy Spirit understands that God is able to use even the worst of situations in order to glorify His own name. Pastor Sam referenced Romans 5:1-5 (click here to link to the passage): we glory in our sufferings because we know that God is doing something. I encourage us all to take time today to read and meditate on the Romans passage, recognizing that we do not have to wait for rescue before we break out in shouts of rejoicing. There is much to be thankful for, even in the midst of crisis, and so we give thanks to our great God.

Lord God, today we do not seek rescue, and we do not seek revenge. We are simply resting and rejoicing. May You find our hearts always thankful.