Daily Devotional November 6 - You have to believe it to receive it

"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

What Paul is trying to say and has been saying in his ministry throughout the scripture is for us to realize and experience the world, but to think about and respond to our spiritual calling from Christ. Along with the many blessings, the good times, superior health, financial stability, job stability, family love, answered prayers and miracles from God, there will be times:

• You will have pain.
• You will experience mistreatment by others.
• You will get sick.
• You will be disappointed.
• You will be lied to.
• You will coerced.
• You will robbed by satan of whatever is available.
• You will feel discouraged.
• You will feel beaten.
• You will slip form your plan.
• You will make mistakes.
• You might even sin.

In these things, rejoice that God is still on your side.
In these things, pray that you will overcome.
Give thanks that God has not abandoned you, but is with you through it all.

That's the part that so many Christians don't like or maybe don't understand about God. They want to go around the fire instead of through the fire. You really can't blame them. Through the fire is when you experience these negative things I mentioned above. Of course we are not going to choose any of them and we certainly don't desire the valley experiences, but you will go through them at different points in time in your life. What are you going to do about it?

Well, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo had an answer to this question. They said, "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." Daniel 3:17-18

It isn't a question of whether or not bad things are going to happen to good people, because they are. The question shouldn't be "why do does God allow bad things to happen to good people?" The question should be, "what are you going to do with what God allows to happen."

Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In every thing give thanks.
For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Can you believe this and make it a part of your relationship with God?