We often say “I did the best I could” when we have tried to accomplish a task and didn’t get the results we wanted. It justifies us and sometimes keeps us from trying again. The Bible addresses this in James 1:2-4 when it says “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it’s full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
We can also be disappointed to the point that we are not thankful for the blessings that we continue to have. In Psalm 136, the psalmist urges us to remember to give thanks to God and that His steadfast love endures forever. Verse 1 says “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,for his steadfast love endures forever.” And in verse 26, the last verse, he says again, “Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His steadfast love endures forever.”
The verses in between call attention to many things the Israelites had to be thankful for. In our time we have many things to be grateful for also. In our disappointment over our failure to complete a task, let us not forget to be grateful for all the good and perfect gifts from God that we enjoy each day, even our defeats, for these experiences can make us stronger and more able to accomplish greater things in the future.
That’s what James was trying to tell us.
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