Scripture | 1 Thessalonians 5:16–22 “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophecies, but examine all things; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”
Observation | We now reach our third of six imperatives “in everything give thanks.” Again, we should first remind ourselves “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Much of these imperatives are distinct ways of living that separate those who are truly saved from those who are not. That is to say, if you know the forgiveness of the Savior and follow the Lordship of your Master Jesus in His Word, then these imperatives are the road you desire to walk and live. If not, they are repulsive and even evil to you. Without true faith in scripture “in everything give thanks” sounds oppressive and backwards.
For instance, let’s first put before us an example of hardship. Say you’ve lost a great amount of money and find yourself unable to pay for your necessities. The lukewarm Christian, like the unbeliever, will find themselves hard hearted in such hard circumstances. Whether angry at God, or angry at the situation, or despairing because they are unable to see a solution. Whereas the true believer, trusts the Lord so much even in the worst of situations He knows the Lord will see Him through. And on-top of just surviving the hardship, the true believer gives thanks for the lessons he learns along the way. Such as how to spend money and use God’s provisions in less self-pleasing ways and in more faithful ways. He sees the Father’s discipline in allowing the money he’s waisted to run out to teach a lesson. He can even be thankful for the lesson of self-denial he gains in this. Or if it is completely not of his own doing, then he simply is thankful for the lesson of learning how to trust his Lord in difficult situations. The bottom line for the true believer is that there is a reason to give thanks even when all worldly reasons are gone. How is this possible? Because he knows who is in charge of every situation. So, he continues to trust and follow his Master’s Word with confidence no matter what circumstance the world throws at him.
Second, giving thanks in everything doesn’t mean we do not weep. It doesn’t mean we do not hurt when pain comes our way, and life brings much pain. What the command to give thanks teaches is that those who truly trust God’s Word are able to see eternal purposes and even glory for God in their pain and suffering. If we have spent our lives storing up treasure in heaven, or loving this life, then it is only and horribly painful when things in this age go wrong. Yet, if we store up for ourselves treasure in heaven and love not this life, it is a great opportunity to glorify God when something goes bad. This is enough reason to give thanks. To say, “God thank you for this pain or hardship that in it I might point to how great you are despite this broken and cursed world.”
Third, let us not overlook the easy and good times as opportunities to give thanks in everything. Often when we are sick, we are thankful when we become healthy again. Then when the normal sense of being healthy comes and the sickness is forgotten we lose our thankfulness. The same is true with many other things, struggles in the family, financial strains, storms, disease etc. It is easy coming out of these to be thankful for the times when they do not impose a threat on us. Yet, if we are to be thankful in everything, then in the times when things have gone well for a long period of time, so that we’ve forgotten the hardship, all the more we ought to be thankful.
Fourth, verse 18 also says “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” That means, when we are not thankful in everything, we omit what God wills us to do. This is the sin of omission. We are most uncomfortable with the sins of commission. The sin we commit. The things we do, that we should do not. Yet when God‘s will is that we are thankful in everything, to not be thankful, is to do not, the thing we should do. This is sin. A violation of God’s holy and righteous will and way of living.
Application | What negative circumstance(s) in your life do you need to find a reason for and give thanks in? Again, this doesn’t mean we don’t weep or experience pain. But we can find God’s work in the pain and suffering and give thanks too. What positive circumstance(s) in your life are you not giving thanks for? Write each side down and pray a prayer of thanks to God for the good that He always is doing in your life, for His glory.
Prayer | Father, give me eternal eyes in my suffering and hardships. Let me see the opportunity in such times to be molded and grow to be more like Your Son. Thank you for what you have taught me through previous pain. Let me look for and learn lessons in my current struggles too.
Open my eyes to see the countless good things you have put in my life. Let me not take for granted the ongoing blessings of marriage, family, my home, my duties, and my health. Thank you for the unmeasurable good you have given to me by sending Your Son to pay for my sins on the cross, above all the other blessings you give every day. Let me always live in thankfulness whatever circumstances come. For Your glory alone. Amen.
