IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS
(I Thessalonians 5:18)
Mike Johnson
I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks. . . .” This teaching occurs during a series of short admonitions near the end of the book of I Thessalonians. Earlier, Paul told them they needed to “rejoice always,” and they were to “pray without ceasing.” We might say, “constant joy and constant prayer should lead to a constant giving of thanks to God.”
The Bible stresses thanksgiving in many places. Ephesians 5:20 says, “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In Colossians 4:2, Paul stressed, “Continue in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” In another passage, Philippians 4:6, he said, “Be anxious for nothing but in everything in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
How are we to thank God for whatever happens? The NIV says, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” How do we do this? The verse is not teaching us to give thanks specifically for every particular thing, which happens. Instead, the idea is we are to continue to be thankful no matter what the circumstances, and in every situation, we can find things for which to be grateful.
Consider the following situation. A man’s house burns. He does not say, “I am glad my house burned.” Instead, he says, “I continue to be thankful to God even though my house burned.” Furthermore, he can say, “Although my house burned, I am thankful I was not in it when it burned, and that it did not cause someone else’s house to catch on fire.” We remain thankful to God no matter what happens, and in every bad situation, we can see things to be grateful for (also note James 1:2-3, Rom. 5:3).
Matthew Henry, the well-known scholar, was once robbed by thieves of his money. In his diary he wrote, “Let me be thankful first, because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because, although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.”
We need to make sure we are “thankful in everything.” The last part of verse 18 says, “For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” We must understand it is God’s Will that we obey these instructions. Are you “thankful in everything?”