God Is in It With Us
In this interview clip from Episode #4196 of Day1, Rev. Shuna Dicks, minister of Cults Parish Church in Aberdeen, Scotland, joins Rev. Dr. Katie Givens Kime to reflect on a powerful passage from 1 Thessalonians. As someone rooted in a vibrant yet traditional Church of Scotland context, Rev. Dicks brings warmth, depth, and pastoral clarity to a message many need to hear: God is right in it with us.
Watch the Clip
Full Transcript
Rev. Dr. Katie Givens Kime
This passage from 1 Thessalonians—you bring out themes of gratitude and community and persistence. So say again, what drew you to this text for this moment?
Rev. Shuna Dicks
You couldn't blame people for screaming, "Where is God? Where is God in this?" But this passage just reminds us that God is right in there... Is right in there.
Rev. Dr. Katie Givens Kime
Yeah.
Rev. Shuna Dicks
And when we kind of grasp that, we can understand that even in these deepest, darkest, horrible times, we can still be thankful because God is in there with us. Yeah, that God hasn't abandoned us, yeah. And this thankfulness that Paul is encouraging us to bring to our lives is just that reminder that God hasn't walked away.
Reflection: The Gift of Gratitude in Messy Moments
The apostle Paul’s command in 1 Thessalonians 16-18, to “give thanks in all circumstances” isn’t naïve or dismissive of real suffering. As Rev. Shuna Dicks illustrates, it’s an invitation to recognize that gratitude is not about pretending everything is fine, it’s about trusting that God is still with us even when everything is not.
Reflect:
- Does 1 Thessalonians 16-18 shape your view of gratitude? If so, how?
- In what ways have you experienced God's presence during painful seasons?
- What spiritual practices have you developed that help you recognize and respond to that presence?
Read the Full Sermon
Explore Rev. Shuna Dicks’ full sermon from episode 4196 >>>
