The subject of thanksgiving came to me recently during a time of great personal heaviness. At the time, our church building needed major work. Parishioners’ problems were piling up. Everyone I knew seemed to be going through some kind of trial, and I was feeling the burden of it all.

I went into my office and sat down, feeling sorry for myself. I began to complain to God, “Lord, how long will you keep me in this fire? How long do I have to pray about all these things before you’ll do something? When are you going to answer me, God?”

When the children of Israel were going through testing, were they really supposed to express gratitude and thanksgiving in the midst of it? When they were surrounded and in a hopeless situation, did God really expect them to have a joyful reaction?

Absolutely! That was the secret to getting out of their difficulty. You see, God wants something from all of us in our times of overwhelming troubles and testings. He wants us to offer him a sacrifice of thanksgiving in the midst of it all!

One of the most important verses in all of scripture is found in Peter’s first epistle where the apostle speaks of the necessity of having our faith tested. “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7, NKJV).

Scripture says of Israel, “Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power: The day when he redeemed them from the enemy” (Psalm 78:41-42, NKJV). Israel turned away from God in unbelief. Likewise, I believe we limit God today with our doubt and unbelief.

I am going to make a very shocking statement, and I mean every word of it; I really do not know God in the way that I should.

How do I know this? The Holy Spirit told me. He whispered to me, lovingly, “David, you really don’t know God in the way he wants you to. You really don’t allow him to be God to you.”

We trust God in most areas of our lives, but our faith always falls short in some area. This happens because we have not set ourselves to study God’s acts and commands; we are not sure that he loves us or what he has promised to do for us. We don’t really know God yet.

Are you at the end of your rope, weary, cast down, about to give up? I challenge you to answer the following questions with a simple yes or no:

• • Does the Word of God promise to supply all your needs?

• • Did Jesus say he would never leave you but would be with you to the end?

• • Did he say he would keep you from falling and present you faultless before the Father’s throne?

• • Did he promise you all the seed you need to spread the gospel?

God does not accept grudging service from anyone. “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23, NKJV). ‘Heartily’ means with all your heart, all your strength, all that is within you.

Paul writes, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity [unwillingly]; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The apostle makes a dual application of this matter of giving; it has to do with our financial offerings and the giving of our very lives to God’s work.

When God calls us to any specific work, he has already made provision for everything we need to accomplish it. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8, NKJV).

This verse is not just a hope; it is a promise! It begins with the words, “God is able!” God is not interested in just meeting your needs. He always wants to give you more than you need. That is what ‘abound’ means, an ever-increasing, super-abundant supply.

Recently, I went to the Lord in prayer very heavyhearted, laden down with many cares. I began to plead my case before him, “Oh, Lord, I’ve never been so weary in all my life. I can hardly go on.” I was so exhausted the tears literally burst out of me. As I lay crying, I thought, “Surely my tears will move the Lord’s heart.”

The Holy Spirit did indeed come and minister to me, but not in the way I thought he would. I wanted sympathy, encouragement, understanding; and he did give me all of that but in a way much different from what I expected.

You have to learn to fight your own battles if you want to become a mature believer. You can’t always depend on someone else for your deliverance. Perhaps you have a prayer warrior friend you can call and say, “I’ve got a battle before me. Will you pray for me? I know you have power with God!”

Now that is scriptural, but it is not God’s complete will for you. God wants you to become a warrior. He wants you to be able to stand up against the devil.