Ripping Seams and Giving Thanks: A Devotional Thought

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I absolutely despise ripping seams... it's such a waste of time and thread. Those tiny seams... taunting me, saying, "We're so tiny, you can't see us. We're going to hold this fabric together... no matter what!" There might be some words coming out of my mouth, but none of them are ones of thankfulness. I just go about the ripping of seams in a restless and frustrating mood and get back to sewing... and progress... as quickly as possible.

We can go through life like that too. Problem after problem can come our way... car breaks down, then the heat stops working, then (worse of all) the coffee pot breaks! You feel like you're just fixing problems instead of making progress forward in your life. Always ripping seams instead of sewing a quilt. I've had my share of problems and I'll be the first to confess that restlessness and frustration are my go-to mood.

Paul calls us to remember that God's will for us is different... He doesn't want us to be restless and frustrated with life... Paul reminds us that God's plan for us is good... no matter the circumstances, even when it might seem like everything is going wrong... He calls us to an attitude of praise, prayer and thanksgiving instead of restlessness and frustration.

I've found that many times, as I face the seams that I need to rip, I begin to contemplate the mistake I made... what didn't go well... I become a better quilter for it. And, when I finish the quilt, I am thankful for the time I spent working on it (even the frustrating parts). It's in those times of life when things seem difficult that we develop perseverance and character... hope and faith. I can approach my sewing mistakes, and my problems in life, with a thankful heart because I know that there will be good to come out of them. That's God's will for us and his promise through the blood of Christ Jesus.