Why We Can't Thank God

By Rev. Ernest O'Neill

Why can't we say 'Lord thank you'? As the dear book says, "Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." Give thanks in all circumstances. Then you see what it does, it steadies everything. That's it.

Do you know that cancer isn't a problem? Do you realize that? There are far worse things than dying, far worse things than going into the new life that we were made for. There are far worse things than going and meeting the King of kings, far worse things than being in a place where there is continual peace and joy and love, far worse things than that. So it isn't that cancer is the problem. It isn't the bankruptcy that's the problem, it isn't the money trouble that is the problem, it isn't the job that is the problem, it isn't even your family and those awkward creatures you live with at home that is the problem, it isn't all of that. The problem is that you allow those things to be little messages to you that the world is crumbling. And it's not crumbling.

The dear God who loves you is steady as a rock and has you in his hands. He is saying to you, "I am here. Don't look at those things that look as if the world is shaking. Those are silly, superficial symptoms. I am here and I’m not moving. You're in my hands and this will be the same afterwards as it was before." That's it.

Every time you thank him, you give him delight and joy because he knows that one more little one that he made really believes him and trusts him and that's so great. Your dads know how good it is to have a little son who just feels everything is safe because he is in his dad's arms. His dad may be trembling and wonder what's going to happen but he is in his dad's arms so he is happy.

And, that gives a father some feeling. It actually encourages even the father. Now you can imagine the delight and joy in our God's heart when you give thanks in all circumstances. It's a declaration, "Lord I trust you -- not these circumstances, not these events, not the good things that happen to me, any fool can be happy when things are good, any fool can thank God when he is receiving gifts -- but I trust you Lord even when I can't see."