She sits across the coffee table from a friend she hasn’t connected with in years. This friend knows the suffering, pain, and disappointment God has brought her through. The question from her friend hangs in the air between them: “How are you?”
She looks around, tilts her head, squints her eyes, and hopes uttering the words won’t break the spell. She almost whispers, “I’m good…really good.”
Has this ever been you? Have you ever found yourself in a wonderful season where it’s easy to see the gifts from God outweighing the negatives? I know I have. The heaviness of the world is still there; I have friends I’m praying for desperately, but for me and my house right now, everyday life is without major problems.
The Bible answers many of our questions when suffering leaves its mark. In our broken world, grief should be expected at some point, but what about when everything seems to be going mostly right? How do we interact with God and Scripture then?
Thankfully (pun intended), Scripture has an answer for this as well in today’s story of the ten lepers. Ten men were healed of their leprosy. Ten men were released back to society to work for wages, went home to their families and friends, and walked in the streets again. How many thanked Jesus?
One.
I thought thankfulness would roll off of their lips easily. Wouldn’t we do anything for God if He would just answer our prayers? Then we’d have something to be grateful for. But when all is going well, it is very tempting to forget who gave us the blessing in the first place.
God is the One who gives us everything, not our human efforts (Psalm 95:3–5). When we move into a new home or a long-awaited baby is born, we can shout hallelujah! Thank you, Lord, our Creator who makes beautiful things! We don’t have to feel guilty when we experience happiness on this earth. However, we must fill the jars of our hearts with lightning bugs of joy, treasuring up gifts of his eternal faithfulness. His gifts are meant to be enjoyed; they really, truly are. But we return to the core of our joy, that lightning bug inside the jar.
What should we ultimately find joy in? Colossians doesn’t let us forget which treasures we should be storing up, “the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians 1:9). All of heaven rejoices when we put our faith in the only One who can save us. Kyle Worley from the Knowing Faith podcast says it this way, “We shout truths about God in the light so we can stand on them in the dark.” Lightning bugs don’t show up as well in the light, but they can’t be missed in the dark. The greatest joy is being saved from death and darkness to eternity and light with Jesus.
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72 thoughts on "Give Thanks in Joy"
Easy to give thanks in the big areas in our life but this is a good reminder to give thanks on the ordinary days as well!
Excellent reminder to remain thankful always!
So good to have the word picture of the lightning bugs. Brings back childhood memories. How often I forget to be thankful when days are dark and the sun has hidden from sight.
“We shout truths about God in the light so we can stand on them in the dark.” A very good thing to remember. I like this!
I love this, too!! Amen!
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Hallelujah!
I feel like people who doubt that God is real, or that he cares, or that he is powerful sometimes pray “Lord, if you just do something for me, then I’ll believe.” Then if things don’t work out, they point to that as a reason not to believe. But then I look at the parable of the 10 who were healed with only 1 coming back to thank Jesus. Even if God answers those types of prayers, how many people would actually turn back to him? Or do they just run off to enjoy their blessings like the other 9 lepers? It was also interesting to read it right after the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin. I always thought of it as convicting those who did not give glory to God, but like the one lost sheep or coin that is found, the one leper who returned after being healed was saved by his faith and just one person is reason for joy.
Thank you, cara, I will check that out!
I’m storing upthose lightning bugs and trying to be thankful in whatever situation I am in.
Lauren GW, praying for you this morning. My daughter asked me to join her in the Chad Wilkerson Step Up workout on Veterans Day which we did together to help raise awareness of our military and what they go through on returning from a deployment. I listened to a podcast from Chad’s wife, Sara and it really opened my eyes to want to do more. You can find more details from another military wife at chad1000x.com.
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I know I have shared several times here about my husbands battle with military PTSD since deployment 3 years ago and how it has affected our family. The past month has been especially bad – he hasn’t been able to live with us, and that has obviously had a huge effect on my kids and myself. Without getting into the details, on Friday, as an answer to prayer, the navy removed a barrier to him getting care that has been plaguing him for the past 18 months. It’s not healing him, but the relief at this has lessened his symptoms. He was able to stay with us over the weekend, and take the kids to school today. I left for work this morning with him laughing and snuggling with the kids. We still have a long way to go in his healing and repairing our family, but I’m so thankful for a few moments of respite and “normal”
Somehow I missed that sentence so I’m grateful you shared it here! Very powerful
Don’t remember the source, but heard this a few years back: JOY should provide order/focus to your life and prayers.
J for Jesus/God should always be first.
O for Others is next.
Y for You.
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@ELLE K – praying for your mom and her biopsy! I know scary it can be as I work with those types of patients every day. Praying her results are clear. Happy Monday ladies! Praying for you all today!! So grateful for everybody’s honest hearts. Thank you to everybody who prayed for my sister. She got the apartment but now is the test on whether or not she has the will to leave the situation. Praying she has faith to do so.
My husband died suddenly in July 2020. When I was in the emergency room handling all the admin stuff while his body was in the holding area, the song Blessed Be Your Name just snuck its way into my head.
“Oh you give and take away
God give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name”
Store those lightning bugs in your jar, ladies. They will serve you well when it gets dark. ♥️
My husband died suddenly in July 2020. When I was in the emergency room handling all the admin stuff while his body was in the holding area, the song Blessed Be Your Name just snuck its way into my head. “
I totally agree❣️
I have been so moved by all the testimonies from those who have experienced tragedies that are the worst life has to offer. Your stories of how God was always with you, and your praise to Him, is such a testament to your faith and His faithfulness to always be with us.
I agree with lolly regan and Jennifer Anapol that I can take all the amazing blessings from God for granted. I have even complained about some of those blessings, such as my house, which is very small compared to former houses in my life. I am making a commitment to consciously express my gratitude and thanks to God for all of his blessings in my life. I am extremely blessed, and want to give all praise to God.
Thank you to everyone who prayed for my friend and her daughter, Aliya, who was having so much difficulty getting her drivers license due to citizenship issues. By working with a different DMV office, and three officials there who stepped up to work through the red tape, Aliya now has her drivers license. God cares about everything in our lives, and there is so much to praise Him for.
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He left all behind to save the 1 lost soul (me). I am quite literally eternally grateful and thankful that God cared enough about me and loved me to make sure that I was rescued and saved! I love ❤️ this parable from Luke 15. It warms my heart like nothing else ever will. Thank you SRT Ladies for your encouragement and faithfulness in reading this study with me. GOD BLESS all of you and your families.
“Lightning bugs don’t show up as well in the light, but they can’t be missed in the dark.” I need this on a T-shirt. So so good!
@Gayle Craik, sending prayers for total healing!❤️
@lolly regan, I definitely agree. I want everything that Jesus has done for me cause me to shout for joy more. It has become something that I’m so used to, I almost take it for granted.
@DAWN PRENATT: prayers for the shooting victims and the mother you mentioned back in high school. Heart breaking. BUT GOD!
@LAURA: the cost is steep. Our suffering is but for a moment. Prayers for your sweet children.
@CEE GEE: ❤️
@ADRIENNE: I hope you can find the book of Oswald Chambers, mine has lots of crayons and pencil marks from my baby girl, she wanted to highlight things for her mama :)), and stickers too.
@LOLLY REGAN: for finance, lifting of hardships, and restoration of relationship with parents in law.
@GAYLE CRAIK: healing from cancer. God is faithful. He will do it again for you.
@ELLE K: biopsy result to be clear for your mom.
@BEBE ROGERS: new job soon, new hope, joy and rest as you take a break in the meantime.
@MARI V: your walking friend and lifting of her burdens. May her faith be built through yours.
@MICHELLE PATIRE: car fix, love your outlook despite many repairs! You’re a champ.
@RHONDA J: missing you.
Prayers for US Thanksgiving week over our dear she’s, and precious families, may God bless your reunions, travels, the work of love you shall put in, etc. May we give thanks to our Father and rejoice for the good gifts we have from Him.❤️
@Gayle Craik sending
prayers up for your complete healing.❤️
Only 1 out of 10 returns to give thanks. This is so true, even now. It is so hurtful to stand in God’s position, pouring out blessings, pursuing, healing, providing, to realize human nature’s self- centeredness the moment they got that very blessing. That’s why we need to have a born-again nature, a continually renewed mind through the Daily Word/Bread. There was a marriage conference with a panel of speakers that I tuned in, and one lady said this, if you don’t make time for God when you are single, how are you gonna make time for God when you have a husband…wouldn’t you just serve your husband instead? And why would God give you another idol to distract you from Him? And she said, use that model for anything else we have replaced God with. Do we worship God before the healing & after the healing? Before the husband and after the husband? Before […] and after […] fill in our own blanks. But here, the caution is raised, in good times, in health, in prosperity, in abundance, we let go of God’s hand. And it’s another vicious loop – “the tragedy of forgetting God” -as we finished the study on Judges. It is a real snare. May we not worship the blessings, instead focus on God the Giver of all blessings. Fellowship with God takes love, efforts, all of our heart, mind, soul, strength. Nine out of ten diseased people never want God, they just want to be healed. It is like being approached for your status, or gifted abilities, with earnest pleading, but the person never wants to be your friend afterwards, not even a thank you note or a phone call. I would be sooooo heartbroken! Would you? How about our God? May we repent and give thanks to Him whose love and faithfulness endures forever, to the point of death on the Cross, He gave His best because He loves us. May we give thanks! Be blessed dear sisters.
I just want to be healed for this terrible disease. But GOD are the best two words of the Bible because God can do ALL things! Pray for me, the cancer is back after just 7 months.
Marya, I am so sorry.
All I hear this morning is Cece Winans song the goodness of God- such a beautiful reminder. Hopefully this link works. If not just google it!! https://youtu.be/9sE5kEnitqE?si=0l1QdNISTLc3iQih
I needed this lesson today. Colossians 1:9-14 are my life verses. I have prayed them over more teenagers and family members than I could ever count.
Love the quote “We Shout Truths About God in the Light, So We Can Stand on Them in the Dark.” Praising God for a season of Shouting in the Light. Go Get Glory God!
I want the fact that I have salvation to affect me more. Does anyone else find it can become a mundane fact? I want to shout for joy about it. I want it to change me and the way I live in thankfulness
Praying for you Mel!
Hi ladies, can I please ask for your prayers today for my mom, Sue? She’s having a biopsy done today on her breast tissue, and I’m praying everything will be ok. In the meantime, today was a good reminder we can remain thankful, even in anxious times.
Laura, I added my thoughts on dealing with an adult child who rejects my faith in yesterday’s comments. Hope it helps.
ADRIENNE – Yes, I remember Woman of Faith!
MARYA KAT – Holding you in my prayers.
I say prayers as I walk the dog in the morning. God has comforted me in such a beautiful way through my son’s death. I truly feel it. Tanner told me he was okay a short time after he died. I saw him right next to me! Today I told God that I would give up my comfort from Him if He would give it to Tanner’s dad. He has suffered so much. Guilt, regret, etc. How foolish of me to not think that God is big enough to give us both comfort. I think God is waiting for Tanner’s dad to come to Him, himself.
Oh but God where would I be without this comfort. A total mess. How could I be willing to give it up for a man that I struggle with even liking?? Tanner knew his dad wouldn’t do well and I think it is for Tanner that I was willing to do this.
Thankfully God is so much bigger than my imagination. He can comfort us both and will in His timing. I’m ALWAYS ALWAYS so thankful.
So thankful for each and every testimony shared here! Love you ladies and love your heart for honoring God and encouraging others! ❤
I, too, loved the quote by Kyle Worley, “We shout truths about God in the light so we can stand on them in the dark.” What a great reminder to keep God and His Word in our hearts and share with the next generation.
The lightning bugs in a jar made me think of this: many people keep a prayer jar or a blessings jar. I like the idea of keeping a JOY jar! May we be ever mindful of the Source of True Joy.
Praying for each need and that we all have patience, peace, and stamina in all the Thanksgiving prep, travel, etc.
@Anna Faith- love your prayer and short testimony, today! Happy Thanksgiving to your family and praise God! ♥️
I accidentally cracked our electric stovetop last month and had to buy a portable burner in the meantime. It is my parent’s oven and thankfully, that part still works. Thank God for Walmart prices it was only about $15. It gets the job done :)
@Mari V- I thought of Isaiah 40:31 for your friend, “But those who wait on the Lord SHALL renew their strength…” I pray she receives this verse and know God will continue to get her through this. Praise the Lord you can be a blessing and friend to her in this time of hardship. May she grow stronger in faith and stand to testify :)
Thankful for you ladies!
Thank You LORD. I dropped my car (that I use for both leisure and work) at the shop last night and they’re almost done with it after only a few hours. Thankful for a reliable mechanic with my very frequent auto repair visits. I am thankful for a car, truly, it brings so much joy to be able to drive and see the beautiful mountains around me here in PA ♥️ Happy Monday ladies and God bless you all!!
Thankful for all of you. Your testimonies encourage me! Praying for all of you.
Going through a tough time right now BUT GOD shows me every morning His mercy, grace, love, forgiveness, faithfulness and strength. He is unchanging! We can rejoice in the dark because He is with us and we are never alone. When we don’t know what to do, He does and He is with us! “ We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.””
2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/2ch.20.12.NIV
I am learning more and more that God’s encouragement to His children to make a point to express gratitude while in the midst of discomfort or confusion or sadness, has so much more to do with the healing of OUR hearts and minds than it does Him just wanting to hear how Great He is (which- make no mistake, He IS!). As I sit in the middle of hurt/confusion over why life has presented in the way it has, I can take a brief pause from that space and start listing all the ways God HAS shown up. The longer that list gets, the more I am reminded I serve a God who “can” and God who “does”. I serve a God who is trustworthy and has proven over and over His power and greatness. On my page where I’ve listed out everything from access to healthcare and clean water to a lovely home and healthy children, I see His general goodness as well as His personal touches on parts of life He provided intentionally for me- with MY personality and heart in His mind. I used to think we should stop and have gratitude because God wants to hear it. But it’s so much deeper than that. It creates a reminder for us/me that He’s a God who will always show up and I have the proof right in front of me.
“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Over the weekend I was walking with my sweet, sweet friend, who is currently suffering mentally and emotionally. We fast-walked and talked the entire time. Last week while we were walking I felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit, stopped our conversation, and started praying. (God gets all the glory! None of it’s me). As our walk came to an end, she mentioned how she just loves to walk and talk with me because of my faith. She too, loves Jesus, she’s just in a rough spot right now. I responded by letting her know it’s all Jesus. None of it’s me. I’m here today and stand all because of Jesus. I think most of us here can say we have experienced suffering. And it’s only through Jesus, allowing him to take over and walk alongside us that we can stand here today. Our Jesus gets all the glory. Happy Monday sweet She’s. I’m so grateful I only work two days this week. Please pray for my sweet friend. If you could know her, you would know that she is such a sweetie..
This study has been such a blessing to me. Thank you so much to everyone who has prayed for me since I lost my job on Friday. I have really felt your prayers and have been filled with such peace.
THANK YOU JESUS!
Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you so much for all of your blessings. Thank you that after I set my oven on fire accidentally, I was able to Find a Beautiful new oven on Sale and get it just in time for Thanksgiving. So I can make my family a delicious Thanksgiving Feast. Thank you that you have given me incredible work so that I can put food on the Table. You are so Faithful to give me the strength to go to work today when I want to go back to sleep. By Faith I can get out of bed when I don’t feel like it. I sing praise to you Jesus for you have been Faithful Forever! You will always be blessing me. Make me a blessing Lord Jesus. I want to see what you can do through me Holy Spirit. Lead and guide me today to someone who needs you Jesus and give me the boldness to lead people to the Cross of Christ so they can be saved. Thank you Jesus! Love you! ❤️
“The greatest joy is being saved from death and darkness to eternity and light with Jesus.” May this keep us going when suffering leaves it’s mark…Thank God this is not the end, this world is not our home and we are “qualified (by the Father) to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light!” Colossians 1:12
@Tina – thank you for sharing your story of hope. ❤️
@Mary Kat – thank you for sharing your story as well. May God continue to heal your heart. ❤️
@Mama Mel – praying for you today. May you be able to fill your heart with lightning bugs of joy. May God give you peace today & each day. ❤️
This is a great reminder to be thankful in every season. We can always find things to be thankful for. I am one of this people that don’t really have any worries right now and life is pretty smooth but sometimes I get caught up in that and forget that God is the one that I should thank for all of this in my life.
God is so good!
I am thankful that even in my hardships I can have Joy knowing that He is with me and that this is not my home. My home is with God.
@Kristin S. Amen ❤️❤️
When my husband was deployed it was hard, When our son was diagnosed with Cancer (he is healthy and good now) when my mom fell and broke so much of her body, When she suddenly died after a year of healing. During all the “big” hards we had we focused on finding Joy daily. There is ALWAYS joy even in the hard. Some days it is easier to see and find then others. But working daily and being thankful.
Amen
Thank you God for your mercy and grace, your joy and these women who love you and whose testimony shines a light to who You are! In Jesus name, Amen
Thank you @Kelly(NEO) for sharing the excerpt from HRT today. I needed to be reminded that “with God there is no disappointment” and that “joy is always available to us when we are reminded of who He is and what He has done.”
Praying everyone has a blessed start to your week <3
Thank you, Tina, for your testimony and faithfulness! I’ve enjoyed your comments and insights from the beginning of SRT! I rarely comment as I do not have a gift with words and admire those who do, so thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Kasey Moffett, for this: “We shout truths about God in the light so we can stand on them in the dark. Lightning bugs don’t show up as well in the light, but they can’t be missed in the dark.”
And I also liked the opening to the devotion… “She looks around, tilts her head, squints her eyes, and hopes uttering the words won’t break the spell. She almost whispers, “I’m good…really good.””
I feel like that sometimes. I almost feel guilty that things seem to be going well enough that I’m worried that saying so might “break a spell”… I see so much difficulty and pain that my SRT sisters and others are facing. I once heard a speaker say at a Women of Faith conference (remember those?) that you are 1) going into; 2) are in the middle of; or 3) coming out of a crisis. In which phase am I? Is the other shoe going to drop, you know? Do I not see things as a crisis because of my outlook (as a glass-half-full person)? Do I look at things in the scheme of eternity with Him and so don’t sweat the small stuff? (Many say that it’s all small stuff!) What actually is the definition of small stuff? What is my definition of crisis?
I really don’t have the answers to those questions. In the meantime, I will give thanks, and keep my lightening bugs handy in my jar. My greatest joy as Kasey said, “is being saved from death and darkness to eternity and light with Jesus.”
Amen! Have a blessed day, sweet sisters! ❣️
Thank you for sharing your story @Tina. ❤️
And also, “lightning bugs in the jars of our hearts”-love this!!
Amen
GM She’s
Kelly I love “with God there is no risk of disappointment” I will meditate on that today, thank you.
Happy THANKSGIVING!
Lightning bugs aren’t seen as well in the light but they show up in the dark! Love that
Having joy is a constant battle right now. Life hasn’t been easy for sometime now. Everyday is a battle with health, kids, marriage or aging parents. We may have a good day here or there but it seems few and far between. It’s hard!! As I read some comments today it’s good to know that this what feels long season may be Hard but Joy will come. Praying for my young kids to find joy as there are so many tears lately with my 4 sweet souls. My husband is sad due to so many life circumstances. So I pray and wait for change.
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Thankful for the God who is never changing and Omnipresent. He has loved us from the beginning and will never stop. ✝️❤️. Happy Thanksgiving Week, She’s!
Amen, Tina ❣️
From HRT: “Even if we find ourselves in discouraging circumstances, in which the exhortation ‘shout joyfully’ can sound like it’s ignoring reality, the act of praising reminds us of our reasons to have joy. It’s not ignoring reality; it’s reminding us that God’s love and faithfulness are even more real than our present circumstances. . . . With God there is no risk of disappointment. He will always come through, and in Christ, He has already been victorious! This means joy is always available to us when we are reminded of who He is and what He has done.”
STEPHANIE BERLING – celebrating with you Daphne’s baptism.
LAURA – praying the Lord will bring you His comfort and peace as you remain steadfast in your faith. May He soften the hearts of your daughters to see the truth.
DAWN PRENATT – praying for your community and the families in the aftermath of the tragedy.
VICTORIA E – is your heater fixed?
JEN B – :`(
BEBE ROGERS – so sorry about your sudden job loss. Praying the Lord opens a door of a new job opportunity quickly
I lost my 24 yo daughter in 9/13 to an aneurysm. We are still reeling and we know what it is to look for the light in the dark after many years of “same old same old”. I’m thankful for His grace, His mercies that are new every morning and the blessed hope we will see her again. Still these days are so hard. We are exhausted in every day. Praying for and remembering those who are walking through the dire right now.
Amen ❤️
Seeking to live a life worthy of the Lord today – and every day.
Hallelujah and Amen
This is my story, my journey.. ongoing..
When I lost my daughter, I felt the whole world cave in. I could not put one foot in front of the other without collapsing in a heap! I couldn’t get out of bed. I forgot how to breathe. I couldn’t breathe through the pain. To be honest, I lost the will to live. And so one day in my heartbreak and with no thought for my two remaining children, I tried to take my life. To end the pain in my heart..
That would not have been a good day to ask how I am..
BUT GOD..
Dear Wonderful, Faithful, Loving ‘Arms around me everyday’ God..
See, I can talk about those days now, not because I am blaise about them, far from it, but I can talk about them, because of God and His gentle healing of a heart that in our economy had nowhere to go but die, nowhere to go but cease to be..
BUT GOD..
He has renewed this heart, He has re-aligned this heart, re-purposed this heart, to see things differently.
He has restored, not to what it was, but in a new way to still see His goodness and grace, and love, and hope..
Absolutely, right now, and forever, I will be THANKFUL for God’s grace and mercy in the early days, and even now, because you know what, the journey has not been easy, a roller coaster really, and I am not totally there yet.. BUT, FOR GOD..
Facing those dark days are my reminder that though the joy I felt then, was real, different, and of God, I am able to be joy filled in these days too.
God gave me the greatest gift, next to Jesus’s coming to redeem and save, He gave me a picture of where my daughter was, safe and happy and out of pain. I will forever be content, happy, grateful and thankful in ALL things, because He brought light into my darkness.
Thank you Lord God, Thank you… always, from a very thankful heart filled with the joy of your strength..
AMEN.
Good Morning my dears, prayerful that your day is covered in love, hugs and His grace.. Happy Monday!❤️