Discover God’s key to standing strong through life’s challenges. Learn how faith and divine guidance help you avoid falling and stay grounded.
Trevor H Lund helps capable and caring people—who are growing weary in doing good—move from striving and stress to peace and purpose as they rediscover and enjoy the life God created them for. He does this as an encourager, writer, and authorpreneur. He encourages through his blog, podcast, and live casts at https://revtrev.com/, shares his writing at https://trevorlund.com/, and teaches in Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/.
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Have you ever wondered what God’s will is you? It’s an interesting study and you need to know God wants you to know his will. I’ll give you a quick overview of the times the Bible authors say “It’s God’s will…” We need to pay attention to them anytime they come up.
Here’s the three places I’ve found so far…
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (NLT): God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honour
1 Peter 2:15 (NLT): It is God’s will that your honourable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT) Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
So God’s will for us is to be holy, live honourable, rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.
We’re to be holy because he is holy. We’re to be honourable because He sends rain on the just and unjust. We’re to rejoice, pray and give thanks because it makes us more like him.
He rejoices over us with singing and quiets us with his love. He invites us into the cosmic dance called prayer because we become more and more like what we worship and we give thanks because it give us his mind about situations we face in the day to day of everyday.
Why focus on Gratitude?
Today we’re going to look at the fact it is God’s will for us to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all situations.
How can we practically do that today?
Is it even reasonable for us to in our busy lives?
Not only should we be doing it. I have found it to be a key God has given to us to not fall—regardless of the situation we are facing—but I’m going to warn you—we need to do it with our whole heart.
Can I pray?
The reality we face
You and I will have times, and days and seasons when circumstances may it very hard to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.
And we have a perfect example of this in the book of Job.
Job’s hopeful life
There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area. Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.
What happened behind the scenes
One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.
When hope disappeared
One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
Job’s Response
Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
Satan isn’t done
Job 2:1-9 One day the members of the heavenly court came again to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life. But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, do with him as you please,” the Lord said to Satan. “But spare his life.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence, and he struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot.
Job’s wife’s Response
Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”
What we can learn about gratitude
If you know the rest of the story you know it goes on and on and on and on. It’s a beautiful poem in Hebrew.
Three friends come and they don’t know how to give safe space for Job to self-express his thoughts feelings and emotions without judgement, criticism or condemnation. Instead they give him judgement, criticism and condemnation.
Have you ever had friends like that?
My experience
When I was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack I had a friend come and talk to me his problems and not ask me about mine - at least I didn’t feel any judgement, criticism or condemnation.
We may never have had the highs and lows Job had, but If you’ve been on the journey with God for any length of time you will have felt like Job must have felt, or how his wife for sure felt.
What did you think his wife thought?
- Her Stable Life Shattered: Job was described as a prosperous and upright man, blessed with a large family, wealth, and good health. As his wife, she shared in this comfortable and secure life.
- She Lost Children: Job's ten children died suddenly when a great wind struck the house where they were feasting.
- She Lost Wealth: Job's livestock and servants were taken or killed by raiders and natural disasters.
- She must have been in Shock and Grief: The cumulative loss of their entire family and possessions in a short time would have caused overwhelming grief, fear, and despair.
- She probably feared Isolation: In their culture, a woman’s status was often tied to her husband’s wellbeing. Job’s suffering likely isolated her socially.
- She undoubtedly had Emotional Burden: She had to watch her husband suffer while grieving for their children and former life.
It’s often tougher on the spouse of the one going through health difficulties. They get very little support
TIP: Ask the spouse how they’re doing BEFORE you ask them how their spouse is doing.
What Job’s Wife Must Have Felt
Grief: Losing all her children and wealth would bring deep sorrow.
Fear: Facing an uncertain future without resources or family.
Hopelessness: Witnessing her husband's suffering and possibly feeling powerless to help.
Frustration/Despair: Urging Job to curse God suggests she was struggling with faith or could not understand why they were suffering so much.
We all will have times we feel like Job’s wife.
You need to know that you’re not surprising God or offending him when you have those feelings. He invites you to pour your heart out to him.
If you’re there now. If you’re thinking “I wish I could curse God and die.”
TIP: Go into the Psalms and find a Psalm that feels the way you do. Then camp out on it until you know God knows how you feel and you exchange your problems for his peace.
But for the rest of us—if we’re not feeling that way—you need to know that God has key to keep us from falling. It’s a rhythm we can have in the day-to-day of our everyday. It comes from these two thoughts we find in scripture.
Gratitude transforms our perspective; worship sustains our steps.
Where do I get this?
It comes from where we see the opposite happening—the thing I want to encourage you to avoid.
Romans 1:21-22 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
Why is it important that worship God as God?
When we don’t worship God as God or even give him thanks our thinking becomes foolish. We start calling good evil and can start calling evil good. We fall away from His presence. We fall out of his will. We fall from the faith. The fruit of spirit stops growing and we start to follow the desires of our sinful nature. And what seemed like foolishness starts making sense.
We have all of creation to look at and see there is a God. But it’s too common of a conversation for me to have that people acknowledge that, but never worship Him as God.
They make up their own ideas about what happens when they die and it affects how they live their life. There’s no Lordship of Christ in their lives. And it’s sad as they live without peace and hope and joy. It’s tragic when they’re about to face eternity and their hope is based on their own ideas, not the word of God.
Make sure you always worship God as God. Don’t lose the awe. Acknowledge he is Lord and live like He’s Lord of your life. Find out what pleases the Lord - His will is for you is to be holy, live honourable, rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances and to find out what pleases Him.
Why is it important that we give thanks?
Besides we know it’s his will for us, gratitude is something we’ve studied psychologically. It does us a lot of good.
Greater life satisfaction and positive emotions
Lower levels of depressive symptoms
Better relationships
More generous and helpful behaviours
Improved sleep
Possible physical health benefits
Greater resilience during hardship
- Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life.
- Wood, A. M., Froh, J. J., & Geraghty, A. W. A. (2010). Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration.
- Dickens, L. R. (2017). Using gratitude to promote positive change: A series of meta-analyses investigating the effectiveness of gratitude interventions.
- Allen, S. (2018). The science of gratitude. Greater Good Science Center.
So that’s is why is it so important that we worship him as God and give him thanks:
Gratitude transforms our perspective; worship sustains our steps.
Where do we see it in the positive?
Gratitude Transforms our perspective
Philippians 4:6–7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
With gratitude—when you exchange your problems for His peace—your anxiousness is replaced by his peace. Your perspective changes when you give thanks with your whole heart.
Worship sustains our steps
Isaiah 40:29–31
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Gratitude helps us trust God to good and in a good mood. When we trust God is good and in a good mood—worship is the natural expression of a thankful heart.
Gratitude transforms our perspective; worship sustains our steps.
Does This Really Matter?
We are all going to face grief. We’re all going to come face-to-face with fear. We’re all going to have times of hopeless. There will be times we are in frustration and despair.
You may have lived your life the best way you knew how. You may have done all you knew how to do and still there is problem, after problem after problem and the blessing that used to overwhelm all get stripped away.
If you haven’t yet be forewarned you need to know God hasn’t left you without a path through.
How did you make it through?
Did you become better or did you become bitter?
We can all stumble. We can all fall. (see James 3:2)
Remember the proverb:
Proverbs 24:16 (NIV) "For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,"
And the psalm:
Psalm 37:23-24 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
We can stumble…but we never want to fall. We don’t want to fall away. We don’t want to curse God and die.
1 Corinthians 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
What If?
What if—though you may stumble—you know you’d never fall?
What if you could naturally rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances? What if it wasn’t forced and wasn’t toxic?
Imagine
What does it feel like to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances?
You’ve been there. You’ve had times and seasons when it flowed naturally. When you have peace that remains steady no matter what storms arise—a deep calm rooted in trust. Joy bubbling up from within, independent of external situations, a lightness in your heart. A constant conversation with God, where your mind and heart stay connected throughout the day—like breathing in and out. Strength and resilience that come from knowing you’re not alone, that every moment is held by something greater. Freedom from worry—replaced by surrender and hope—even when life feels uncertain or hard. It’s an ongoing attitude, a choice to live with an open heart—celebrating, trusting, and thanking no matter what.
You were created for this. You were created to walk with God in garden in cool of day.
If it was lost in fall, it was restored at the cross.
You don’t have to conform, you can be transformed.
You don’t have to be like Job’s wife. You can endure anything and have your faith grow.
How can you endure and grow?
That’s a great question. I’m so glad you asked.
That’s why I developed the Make Space to Be in AWE tool
Gratitude transforms our perspective; worship sustains our steps.
I want to praise God and give thanks to Him everyday. I do it at the start of my prayer time.
Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Make Space to Be in AWE tool
Give Thanks to God with All Your Heart
A - Awareness — Decide intentionally to give thanks
W - Witness — Feel gratitude for what you give thanks for
E - Express — Show appreciation for what you feel gratitude for which naturally becomes worship when you give thanks to God with all your heart. (See Psalm 9:1, Psalm 111:1, Psalm 119:7)
Practice giving thanks to God with all your heart.
Remember
Gratitude transforms our perspective; worship sustains our steps.
Challenge to start Gratitude
The challenge today is to use the Make Space to Be in AWE tool l everyday.
I use it at the start of my prayer time. I enter his gates with thanksgiving and naturally flow into worship and praise. But use it whenever you feel AWE… maybe it’s when you see the sunrise, or stop to consider a flower, or see your kids pictures on the mantel…The challenge is to slow down enough to be in AWE.
Next Steps to Grow Gratitude
If you had trouble with practicing giving thanks to God with your heart…
I’m going to be running a the Live LIGHT 70-Day Gratitude Challenge from Friday, September 18, 2026 – Thursday November 26, 2026.
The challenge is everyday for 70 days
Decide to give thanks
Feel gratitude for what you give thanks for
Show appreciation for what you feel gratitude for
In 21 days you’ll be 10% happier. This has been proven by scientific studies. Neuroplasticity tells us doing something 3 sets of 21 days —or 63-70 days actually creates new neural pathways in our brains so it becomes natural for you to give thanks always….which is God’s will for you.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time to plant a tree is today.
The best time to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances was the day you made Jesus your Lord. The next best time is today.
You like to get into the gratitude challenge at get daily prompts to give thanks you can start today https://revtrev.link/thanks Or join with everyone else on September 18.
Conclusion
In this world you will have problems, but take heart because Jesus has overcome the world.
God’s key to not falling when those problems come is to prepare today to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.
Start by Make Space To Be in AWE. Give thanks daily with all your heart to God.
Can I Pray for You?
Communal Prayer Based on Psalm 16
Keep us safe, our God,
for in you we take refuge.
We say to the Lord, “You are our Lord;
apart from you we have no good thing.”
Lord, you alone are our portion and our cup;
you make our lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for us in pleasant places;
surely we have a delightful inheritance.
We will praise the Lord, who counsels us;
even at night our hearts instruct us.
We keep our eyes always on the Lord.
With him at our right hand, we shall not be shaken.
Therefore our hearts are glad and our tongues rejoice;
our bodies also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon us to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful ones see decay
You make known to us the path of life;
you fill us with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
