When was the last time you complained, “God, why do you allow me to experience bad days? I’m serving you. It just doesn’t seem right.”

I used to complain like that far too often. Then one day I realized that the Bible instructs us, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

That scripture convicted me to give thanks to Him in the midst of every situation, even during bad days, when everything seems to go wrong.

Learning to give thanks releases the power and grace of God in our lives so we can experience His will. He does not tell us to give thanks for all things, but in all things! We need to “count our blessings” in every situation. By God’s grace, we have so much for which to be thankful.

One day I was replacing a window in our home. I got frustrated, careless and broke the window. I realized then that I had been trying to replace the window in my strength. Because I was frustrated and uptight, I had moved out of a position to receive God’s grace for help in time of need because of my attitude. When I admitted, “God, I cannot even put in a window pane without your grace. Thank you for your help,” do you know what happened? I replaced the next window with no problem.

Thanksgiving and receiving the grace of God affects even the practical day-to-day areas of our lives.

Years ago, I used to wonder why God allowed my car to break down so often. In retrospect, I realize that it was only by the grace of God my old car did not completely quit years earlier!

You may ask, “Does God want our cars to break down?” No, of course not, but God wants us, in every situation, to allow His grace to motivate us as we keep an attitude of thanksgiving. There is great spiritual power released into our lives when we choose to give thanks. So I challenge you today, in every situation, to give thanks and receive the gift of God’s grace. His joy will be your strength.