In EVERY Thing Give Thanks

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. – I Thessalonians 5:18

The above verse is an imperative sentence, meaning that it is a command. We are commanded to give thanks in EVERY thing. That is no small task!

I do not know how others think, but when I stub my toe, my first thought is not to give thanks. When unexpected bills come, when the house is a mess, or when I lose a loved one, my first thought is not to give thanks.

Giving thanks is not just a command; according to this verse, it is the will of God for our lives. As a Christian, my greatest desire is to be in God’s will, to have Him be pleased with me, and to hear Him say one day when I arrive in Heaven, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” It may be a hard pill to swallow, but if I do not give thanks in EVERY thing, I am not fulfilling God’s will and therefore will not be found faithful.

Being thankful is not telling God that we appreciate the fact that our lives are not in shambles, though it definitely is worth thanking Him for that if that is true of our lives. Far too often we are found thankful only for the good things in our lives and only when things are going well in our lives. If we are not careful, we will become attached to the things in our lives. Whenever we get too attached to the things, we become distant from the God Who gave them to us. When we are distant from God, it is highly unlikely that we will be thankful.

Our true character, love, and gratitude are revealed when the things are removed. Every day we face the possibility that a thing or many things in our lives may be taken away.

Let us each ask ourselves, “If I were to lose all the things that I hold dear, would I still thank God?” Job did. Even though all of Job’s riches, his children, and even his health were taken from him, he gave thanks. He said in Job 1:21, …the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Job’s gratitude paid off in the long run. What an awesome God we serve! When we do what He commands, He blesses us for it.

Like a parent who rewards the child who does not complain about the chores he is given or who is thankful for the food Mom prepares, even if he does not like it, God also is a rewarder of those who are thankful, especially those who are thankful for the not so good things that come their way. After Job lost everything and was still found thankful, God gave him double of all that he had before.

Though it is not always easy to be thankful, will we be found faithful in this endeavor? Can we live by the command …In every thing give thanks:…?

by Crystal Collingsworth