Am I thankfully obedient?

You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. - Psalm 118:28-29 (NKJV)

Do I give thanks to God when things don't go my way?

"If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments. - John 14:15 (Amplified Bible)

Is it the desire of my heart to obey God?

As we prepare for a new year, we often make decisions to change things in our lives to be more or do more of this or less of that. Often, these resolutions attack only symptoms rather than the root cause of behaviors and, therefore, only last a short period. As transformed followers of Christ, we understand that lasting change in this life is achieved only by addressing the root cause. Am I executing my will or God's will? Am I obedient to God's will?

However, God does not want your head; He wants your heart. In other words, He does not want your obedience with a bad attitude or reluctant obedience. He wants your obedience while embracing the fact that God's will, God's way, and in God's timing, is the very best for your life. Remember, He loves you so much that He sent His Son to the cross to die for your sin! This is thankful obedience.

He went a forward a little, and fell face downward on the ground, and prayed, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup be taken away from me. But I want your will, not mine." - Matthew 26:39 (Living Bible)

How can I give thanks when I face adversity while obeying God?

Nothing touches my life that is not allowed by the Sovereign God of creation for my good and His glory.

Independent of the cause of the adversity I may be facing, whether the consequences of my sin or the refining process of sanctification, the Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Sovereign, Immutable God of all creation has allowed it to enter my life and holds me securely in His hand.

You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book! How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can't even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me. And when I wake in the morning, you are still thinking of me! - Psalm 139:15-17 (Living Bible)

But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. - Job 23:10 (NKJV)

What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. - 2 Corinthians 1:3 (Living Bible)

Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him - Charles Stanley.

Be Encouraged to make giving thanks to God and obedience to His Word your all-consuming desire in 2023!

-Jeffrey Thornton