“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT)
While talking on the phone with my friend, he gave me a priceless word of advice. In the middle of a tough season, he said, “Have you been thanking God in this?”
My first thought was, Um, no, I haven’t been thanking God for this difficulty. But notice, I misunderstood his question. Rightly he asked, have I given God thanks in my current trial.
Be Thankful In All Circumstances
My friend’s question arises from a short line of Scripture: “Be thankful in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT). Notice that the Bible doesn’t say “Be thankful for all circumstances.” What I initially heard from him was, “Have you been thanking God for this?” And that was my error. We experience much evil in this world, and there are things that happen to us that are awful. God doesn’t ask us to thank him for the awful things that happen to us.
Anything Good We Experience Is a Gift from God
At the same time, we experience so much goodness, even amid hardship. The Bible says elsewhere, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens” (James 1:17 NLT). That verse frames everything good we experience in this life as a gift from God. From the morning sunshine to the food we enjoy to the friend at our side—all these things are kindnesses from the hand of God.
Life is a mingled mess of good and bad—we are all too aware of this. Even in the middle of our greatest joys, we cannot seem to escape some measure of pain and frustration. And even in the circumstances most soaked in pain, we can still find pleasure in so much goodness that surrounds us.
God tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that his desire for us is to give him thanks in all circumstances. Therefore, whatever our circumstances, we can find something to thank God for.
Thankfulness Doesn’t Come Naturally
Now notice that this verse doesn’t apply to everyone. It says that God desires gratitude in those “who belong to Christ Jesus.” That gives us a hint as to where to begin with giving thanks.
All of us have thankless hearts toward God by nature (Romans 1:21). And beyond that, we sin against him daily, failing to love him and love others (Matthew 22:36-39). Rather than pouring out his just punishment on us, God provided a way for us to escape his wrath and be restored to a loving relationship with him, despite our sin. God sent his Son, Jesus, who laid down his life for us on a cross, absorbing the punishment due to us for our sins, so that all who put their trust in his loving sacrifice can be saved and brought into relationship with God (John 3:16; 1 Peter 3:18).
The Bible tells us that if we receive Jesus’ offer of salvation as a free gift, believing that he is the only way to save us from sin and make us right with God, then we are brought into God’s family and belong to him for all eternity (John 1:12, Romans 6:23).
What does God want for those who have trusted Jesus? Well, the more you read the Bible, the more you will learn about the life God wants for his people, but one thing is clear from 1 Thessalonians 5:18—God wants us to have thankful hearts!
God Is Leading You to Joy by Commanding You to Be Thankful
All of God’s commands are given to us out of his love and are for our good—this one included! By focusing on gratitude, our focus shifts away from our cares and anxieties and relieves their often-oppressive symptoms, replacing them with joy as we reflect on God’s generosity towards us. Therefore, gratitude is a buoy for our sinking souls in pain. God has given us a gift in this command and a pathway to joy in the worst of circumstances. Obeying this command will be a blessing to us!
So what is hard in your life right now? What’s a circumstance you are not thankful for? As you wade through that trial, what do you have to thank God for in the midst of it? Can you think of three other things to praise God for?
And, friend, may we not stop there, but may this verse daily echo in our minds—“Be thankful in all circumstances.”