The other mom had no right to verbally berate your daughter, who was trying her best to befriend another girl at the birthday party.
Your daughter was blowing up a balloon and gave it to another girl, for her to blow up, too. Sharing. Nice, right?
The other girl’s mom yanks the balloon out of her daughter’s mouth, and starts screaming at your daughter for sharing germs. She rants and raves about sickness and Covid and gets in a slam or two about politics.
Your daughter cries, and runs to you. Should you thank God for that lady? No. You don’t need to thank God for angry, verbal aggression or abuse—a sin.
God isn’t glad for sin, and we shouldn’t thank him for it. But aren’t we supposed to thank God for everything? No.
The Bible says, “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). There is a difference between giving thanks for all circumstances or giving thanks in all circumstances.
So don’t feel pressured to thank God for the evils or even pains of life. But when you are in them, while you are experiencing them—and not just after—you can and should give thanks.
Because God is always at work, even when people are mean. And thanking him takes the focus off yourself, and gives you hope where the real hope is found.
God is your Savior in all circumstances.
PRAYER: I thank you, God, in the morning, in the sunshine, in the evening, and in the dark. I thank you when I’m in the car, in the office, in my kitchen, and at the park. I thank you, Lord, when I’m in a good mood, when I’m feeling strong, and when I’m being tempted or feeling lost. I thank you in all circumstances. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Make a list of 5 different circumstances in which you haven’t thanked God lately, but you’d like to begin now.