Give Thanks
The whole time I was working on my frozen garage door I was hearing lots of 'beeping' sounds. I thought there was heavy equipment working in the neighborhood. When I walked in to check the house, I discovered every C02 detector blaring loudly. As I was getting a ladder I noticed that the house was very, very cold. One by one I removed the detectors, because just pulling the batteries didn't stop them from beeping. The thermostat read 40°.
I spent the next half hour trying unsuccessfully to start the furnace. Then I pulled on my snow boots, waded through the backyard to my fuel oil tank, and discovered that it was bone dry. I am on 'auto fill' with the fuel company and this should never happen.
If I had been one day later checking the house, every single pipe would have frozen and burst. I plugged in 3 small electric heaters and waited for the fuel delivery.
This day was NOT working out as I had planned, but I was SO THANKFUL. I would normally have never checked that house on a Wednesday, but I had a team of missionaries coming in on Thursday and staying with us until Monday. That day was my only opportunity, and it turned out to be EXACTLY the day I needed to be there. Life's little inconveniences often deliver an unexpectedly blessing, but how often are you THANKFUL?
God lists grumbling and complaining- a lack of gratitude- as a TERRIBLE sin. Sometimes we need to be reminded of that, don't we? Listen to how 2 Timothy 3 begins- "But mark this- there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, UNGRATEFUL..."
When God interrupts your plans, simply say, "Lord, this wasn't how I intended for this to go. But I TRUST you and THANK you. I know that you will bring something good out of this." Give thanks even when life isn't going your way, and you will be blessed! -Pastor Brad
Written on January 24, 2026
Posted in Daily Devotions