Give Thanks

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Many people wonder what God’s will is for their life. Paul answered that question when he wrote to the Thessalonians. If you believe in Jesus, then you are in Christ, and He is in you. Paul says God’s will for your life consists of three things. First, he tells you to rejoice always. Second, he says pray without ceasing, and third, he says in everything give thanks. Each of these aspects of God’s will is not difficult to do, but it requires having the correct view of God and a proper perspective of how God fulfills His will in your life.

First, you are to rejoice always because joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit. It’s important to realize that joy and happiness are similar but not synonymous. Happiness relates to what is happening in your life, but joy comes from knowing God wants the best for you regardless of your circumstances. When something bad happens in your life, you are unhappy, but if you understand God uses those unfortunate circumstances to mold you into the image of Jesus, then you can rejoice knowing it results in your betterment. Secondly, God wants you to grow in your relationship with Him. Growth in any relationship requires communication, and you communicate with the Lord through prayer. Prayer is not a monologue of you just speaking to the Lord; it is a dialogue where you speak to Him and He speaks to you. That means you have to be attentive to His voice. The only way you can perceive when He is speaking to you is by maintaining an attitude of prayer without ceasing. If you fail to understand that He can speak to you at any moment, then you are more apt to miss hearing His voice. Finally, Paul says in everything give thanks. Notice that he doesn’t say to give thanks for everything but “in everything.” When you receive bad news, no matter what it is, there is always something for which you could be thankful. Tragedies strike every family and every person. Yet, in the midst of those difficult situations, God does not change. His goodness towards you remains steadfast. Therefore, consider everything you have from the Lord, what He has done for you, and what He has in store for you. Then, you will find many reasons to be thankful. Don’t stop telling Him how grateful you are for the abundant blessings He has given you, and keep that attitude of prayer as you speak to Him regularly throughout the day. When you do so, you will see the multitude of reasons you have to always rejoice in the Lord. So, give thanks in every situation and circumstance in which you find yourself knowing the Lord is with you and using even the trying times to conform you into the image of Christ.