Being Thankful for Bad Things That Happen to Us

You know, most of the time when we thank God in prayer, we thank him for the positive things he has done for us… food, health, occupation, etc. Did you ever think about thanking God for something bad that happened to you? That’s what a guy named Nebuchadnezzar did. In Daniel 4:2, “It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the most High God has done for me”. Nebuchadnezzar then recounts how God took his kingdom away and punished him. Daniel 4:33, “He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven until his hair grew as long as eagle’s feathers, and his nails were like bird’s claws”. God punished Nebuchadnezzar because in his pride Nebuchadnezzar failed to give God credit for the power of his kingdom. So the kingdom was taken away and Nebuchadnezzar became an animal. However, in time Nebuchadnezzar gave God the glory and his sanity and kingdom were returned to him. Nebuchadnezzar was letting his people know that something terrible had happened in his life and he had learned from it. He gave thanks to God for something negative that he had experienced from God. Nebuchadnezzar wanted his people to know about it and he wanted God to know that he knew too. Daniel 4:37… “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”