Feeling Thankful
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I remember many years ago feeling trapped by my wheelchair. Then a friend showed me 1 Thessalonians 5:18 where it says, “In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” At first, I didn’t understand. How can I possibly give thanks for a life of total paralysis? But that’s when my friend wisely said, “Joni, that Bible verse doesn’t say to feel thankful; you can’t possibly do that. But it does say to give thanks. Giving thanks has nothing to do with feeling thankful. There’s a big difference between trusting God and having trustful feelings.” Well, it sounded doable, and so, I started small. I started giving thanks for little things and, over time, God rewarded me for taking those first, shaky steps of faith. He rewarded me with feelings of thankfulness. So, today, give thanks for small things. And your feelings will, one day, catch up.
© Joni and Friends
