LIGHT FOR A THANKFUL LIFE (3)

“IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Embracing LIGHT for a THANKFUL LIFE positions the Believer in the Centre of God’s Will: “REJOICE ALWAYS, pray without ceasing, IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 The.5:16-18). It is the Will of God that we be thankful in everything, which is a tough one for many! ALWAYS, without ceasing or CONTINUALLY, and in everything – in all circumstances! These are terms that do not leave much room for maneuvering! Paul didn’t write, “Rejoice until things get tough.” He didn’t say, “Pray unless you’re too tired” or “Give thanks for the good stuff in life.” No, God’s Will for us in Christ Jesus is thankfulness that knows no end, regardless of the circumstances. How can we be so thankful? Aren’t there things that happen in our lives that warrant some reactions other than gratitude?

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians was intended to encourage the early church, praising them for their spiritual maturity and persistence and pressing them toward deeper growth in their faith. Three things – Joy, Prayer, and Thanksgiving – were marks of the Fire of the Holy Spirit at work in the Believers. Indeed, Paul followed his directive to rejoice, pray, and give thanks with a command to “not quench the Spirit” (v.19). Joy, Prayer, and Thanksgiving fan the flames of the Spirit, helping ignite revival fires for the Lord throughout the land.

It's important to know that we’re being asked not to give thanks “FOR everything” but “IN everything.” This is an important distinction. It is imperative to have a grateful and positive heart that thanks God for Life and other blessings in spite of present situations. We can and should be grateful for our health, family, friends, work, and the very breath in our lungs. But how do we honor these words of the Apostle Paul to “give thanks in all circumstances” when so much hardship surrounds us? How can we give thanks in all things? The notion of thankfulness echoes throughout the Bible, and this particular line follows two other directives, including that we should rejoice always and pray continually.

By the Help of the Holy Spirit, we can make it a habit to exude gratitude from one breath to the next, in the good and bad circumstances; a habit that comes as naturally as breathing. We can train our brain to echo thankful sentiments regularly, regardless of what’s going on around us. Such thankfulness might not flood our hearts right away. We might not always feel like breathing thankfulness; but that’s like other habits in our lives that take time and effort to be acquired. Although it’s hard, we are told to be thankful in all circumstances. Let’s put in an effort to do just that! Giving thanks in all circumstances, good and bad, is a real challenge. But we can at least say, “Thank You, Lord!”