Though the Holy Bible enjoins us to give thanks to God in all circumstances, there are occasions when we momentarily lose track of this fact, get confused and completely  become miserable.

We are never challenged in life when everything is going on smoothly and things seem to be in their right perspective.

Death is inevitable though, but the death of a parent, child, siblings, close relatives, acquaintances and colleagues among other misfortunes, set our minds to question or  doubt the sort of love the omnipotent God  has for us.

In such circumstances, we consider  death or whichever calamity as unkind, very wicked and impatient. God is also viewed in such circumstances as insensitive to allow calamity or misfortune to befall us.

When a sick person dies suddenly, God could be saving the deceased from excruciating  pains, the bereaved  family from shock and spending money which would eventually not restore the health of the sick person.

Calvary

Before he ascended the cross on Calvary which had brought salvation to the world, Jesus became sorrowful when he prayed fervently to God to let the cup pass by him. ” Having prayed thus, he quickly concluded that his father’s will should be done, but not his under the circumstance.”

In another vein he prayed, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46.

Though Jesus was in such a state, God’s love and his spirit did not depart from him. ” Behold l am with you, even till the end of time.” This phrase should serve as a reminder to all  that God’s love shall never depart from us irrespective of our sinful state.

Lazarus                                                                               

Our attention should be drawn towards Martha and Mary in the Bible about the death of Lazarus. One can envisage  the agony, pain and uncontrollable wailing  the two sisters and their  relatives might have endured during the period.

To them all hope was lost on account of the death of Lazarus. Additionally, varied thoughts might have passed through their minds, giving way to a state of hopelessness and mistrust.

Bartimaeus

Imagine you were Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, and in another instance a man who became blind from birth. Until  their miraculous healing  by Jesus, one can envisage the thoughts which might have passed through their  minds all these years.

They might have viewed God in a different light, questioned God’s saving power and His love for them. Why has God made them  like that, while others enjoy the best conditions in life ?

Can one envisage the ecstatic joy that might have filled the two blind men at the time they received healing variously from Jesus?

Joseph

Another example in the Bible which reminds Christians  to give thanks to God in all circumstances is the decision by the children of Jacob to throw Joseph their brother into a well, ostensibly to sell him into slavery.

Unknown to his siblings, God’s saving hands were heavily on Joseph as he had designed a unique task for Joseph  which would invariably help many people including  their family.

Under such trying moments, Joseph might have lived in a state of confusion  and prepared to doubt when the saving hands of God would reach him, if at all.

God allows certain things to happen to us for a purpose and we are surprised as to why misfortunes should happen to us.

Zachariah

When  Zachariah, the priest became deaf and  dumb, how did he feel about God’s love, care and forgiveness?

Zachariah might have grumbled about how unfair God was to strike him deaf and dumb.

Life is more precious than any treasure we can possess on earth. Irrespective of the misfortune that has befallen us, do we pause to say, ” Thank you God for sustaining  our lives?”

In every situation, we must give thanks to God, for we do not know what God has in store for us.

Get yourselves prepared always and let us get inclined towards receiving whatever comes our way.

 We ought to know that no matter the ordeal we have to encounter, God is still the same unchanged Supreme Being who has plans for our progress in life, giving us the reason to be grateful to Him at all times.

By Raymond Kyekye