| “In everything (in all circumstances) give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 |
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| Our verse to DATE the Word on May 18 (5/18) is 1 Thessalonians 5:18. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything (in all circumstances) give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Giving Thanks IN Everything I find some Scriptures to be easy to quote but very difficult to live out. I can easily quote 1 Thessalonians 5:18 but as I process the straightforward teaching of the verse, I want to say back to Paul that this is ridiculous. I think it is unreasonable to think that when bad things happen that I am supposed to give thanks. I think it is just as unreasonable to think that I am to “count it all joy when I fall into various trials.” (James 1:2) I don’t think I am alone in this thinking. Giving thanks for everything just doesn’t make sense. I am not sure if you feel you need to correct me on the very last sentence, but I need to correct what I just wrote. I wrote that giving thanks for everything just doesn’t make sense and what was written is not what the verse says. I Thessalonians 5:18 does not say to give thanks FOR everything. It says, “IN everything give thanks.” The word IN is far different than the word FOR. FOR everything means that even as the worst of the worst happens you are to be giving thanks. IN everything means that as you process through even the worst of the worst you can find things to give thanks for. I came across a story about Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsie that illustrates this. During WW2 they were taken captive and were living in a German concentration camp. In their barrack, they would hold a Bible study and they studied 1 Thess. 5:16-18. In discussing the application Betsie said they should give thanks. Corrie was resistant but Betsie was firm. She believed there were many things to give thanks for even to the point of saying they should give thanks for the FLEAS. Corrie was not having any of it. Yet Betsie insisted and they give thanks for the pesty fleas and even the awful lice. A few weeks went by, and the ladies began to realize that no guards ever came into their barracks. They never had anyone interrupt their Bible studies. They wondered why, as other barracks faced constant harassment. One day Betsie overheard some guards refusing to go into her barrack and their reason was that the barrack was the barrack with all the fleas and lice. Betsie and Corrie were able to see God’s purpose for fleas was to protect them. We should consider the alternative to giving thanks. It is grumbling and complaining and being bitter. These actions grieve the heart of God. The Book of Numbers lets us know that God does not handle complaining well! These actions also bring harm to one’s own life. You may have heard that bitterness is like drinking poison and then waiting for the other person to die. As you consider the application of IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS, we do need to consider that the Apostle Paul must have known it would be difficult so he added that “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” So, do you have an attitude of gratitude? Can you see, believe, and trust that IN all circumstances God is working? Are you expressing thanks to God in both good and bad situations? Verse to DATE the Word on May 18 (5/18) is 1 Thessalonians 5:18. 1 It says, “In everything (in all circumstances) give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” BTW – The time to be most thankful is when you are praying. Psalm 95:2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Ps 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, bless His name. Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; Colossians 4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Continue Strong expressing gratitude to God And remember to DATE the Word |