In All Things

The facilities you have at your school are a gift; no matter if you have state-of-the-art stadiums and locker rooms or have to share a field with another team and change in the bathrooms.

My father is a baseball coach who has spent years upgrading the facilities for his team. One of his go-to punishments when the team acts up is to take away the use of their locker rooms for a few days. He reminds them that they did not pay for these buildings and that it is an honor to get to use them. It’s a reminder to be thankful for what you are given and not take it for granted.

It’s easy to compare what we have in this world to what others have. Comparison is an invitation for envy to creep into your heart. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul said to ‘give thanks in everything.’ We are commanded to give thanks even when we are without. A Christian life does not promise a life of ease. Thousands of Christians around the world are persecuted for simply believing in Christ.

Could you imagine giving thanks to God in jail? Or maybe someone you loved is killed because of their beliefs? In everything, give thanks. We thank God for being in control and for the fact that no matter how bad things get here on earth, He has provided us with a way to be reunited with Him in Heaven.

So, no matter where you find yourself today, whether in a place of plenty or want, choose to give thanks to our Creator.