Whenever I go on my daily run, I’m thankful every time I hit a patch of shade, feel a nice breeze or see a downhill slope. As I thought about it, I realized that this also applies to our everyday lives. How often and easy is it for us to thank God when things are going great and we’re on that easy downhill path of life? What do we do when we come around the bend and see no shade in sight and can barely see from the sweat pouring down our face? Are we thanking God even when we’re on that seemingly impossible uphill slope with the sun shining right in our eyes? We should be. Those are the times we need to most—when God is using hardships in our lives to break down parts of us and build them back up better in His image. Consider I Timothy 4:4, “Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.” God’s work is always good, even when we can’t even begin to think of a finish line.

Like Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” God doesn’t give me anything He knows I can’t handle, so why not thank Him for the lessons and hardships in life he is teaching me? Ulti- mately, He is molding me into a better Christian.

By Robyn Oakley

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