Give Thanks in Everything and Be More Effortless

One might fall into fear and anxiety easily seeing the current global turbulence and negative news that keep pouring in. How should we, as Christians, face the situation? Can we really be effortless? Indeed the key lies in having a heart of gratitude.

Paul taught us in his letters, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks;” (1 Thess 5:16-18a) and “do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thess 5:19) We can rejoice always when we give thanks in everything and as a result we will have the strength to pray on. When we give thanks, though the world is filled with changes and difficulties, we can focus our heart and mind on God alone to see His works, just as mentioned in Psalm, “Come, behold the works of the Lord.” (Psalm 46:8) Truly, we have seen and experienced that God is in control in everything. From Occupy Central in 2014 till now, it’s been a decade and we have experienced much, including the social movement and the outbreak of the pandemic. Yet God has blessed us – presently our on-site service attendance plus online views totals over ten thousand. Meanwhile, our Bible School receives people from the nations to come to soak and get equipped and they are willing to commit themselves to the Tree of Life. I am deeply grateful for all these!

Joash, a disciple of mine, used to be quite negative and depressed, wondering where God was. Over the years he has been following God with us and learnt not to fix his eyes at his own difficulties and circumstances but to behold God’s works. Gradually his life and perspective have been tuned and now he is able to give thanks wholeheartedly. He has come to know what it is like to be joyful and effortless. Recently we had a drama shown at Sunday service and young people who grew up from the Children’s Church and then the Youth Church could serve God with their gifts as from script writing, directing to the composition of lyrics and to everything else, their potential was unlocked freely. Seeing all these, he was amazed by God’s works and couldn’t help but give thanks for them.

There were scarcely any young people when Pastor Debby first came to our church. But over the years she has had many youngsters to disciple. Now she has even witnessed how Joash, once a secondary school student, has become a preacher at the Sunday service and the Morning Devotion. She is filled with gratitude when she looks back as it is really hard for a young man to lay down everything to respond to God amid all the attractions the world has to give. She thanks God for our church’s passing on from generation to generation.

Though there are many things that we do not understand in the afflictions of the world, God reigns and has not lost control. He is doing great works. Job was clueless in his adversity while God knew exactly what was happening and His will was finally fulfilled. Dear brothers and sisters, as we give thanks in everything, we can keep ourselves focused on God and see His will and then be blessed in it.■【2024.03.10】