“What are you thankful for?” This is a common question that is asked around this time of year. Some people will use their social media pages to post one thing that they are thankful for each day for the month of November.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, the Apostle Paul says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” The command here seems like a tall order because the truth is that not all circumstances that we face move us toward thanksgiving. We might be thankful in some circumstances but all circumstances? That is tough ask. In the middle of a physical problem we are to be thankful? In the middle of a relationship issue we are to be thankful? As our life has fallen to pieces and those pieces are scattered at our feet we are to be thankful? Paul would say yes.
The question that we might wrestle with is why or how is Paul able to answer this way and how might we get to that place in our life and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I do not think an attitude of gratitude in all circumstances is something that we wake up one morning with. I believe that it is formed as we go through life and circumstances and experience the faithfulness and provision of the Lord in those circumstances. I believe it also happens as we learn to rejoice always. Joy is different than happiness and our ability to rejoice is not tied to our circumstances but tied to our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) Getting to a point of giving thanks in all circumstances requires us to rejoice in all things. Not because of the circumstance but because of the presence of Christ with us in those circumstances as well as our standing in Him.
Rejoicing in all things leads us to praying continually. For many of us our prayer lives are on an as needed basis. If there is a specific need in our life we come to God in prayer. When things are good, however, our prayer life is non-existent. Praying continually is praying in all circumstances whether good or bad. As we pray in all circumstances and rejoice in all circumstances we learn to see God at work in all things. When we see God at work in all circumstances we can be thankful because we recognize that God is using all of our circumstances to shape and mold us into the image of Christ. He is preparing us for our eternal destiny and everything that we face is part of that preparation work.
Learn to rejoice in all things, pray in all things, and be thankful in all things. God is at work in everything and is helping us to look more like Jesus today than we did yesterday. What are you thankful for?