"In everything give thanks; for this is
God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
(1 Thess. 5:18, NASB).
Yes, my friend, you read correctly. We are to give thanks "in
everything." Challenging text to live out in our life, isn't it? It is
not easy to be thankful in everything. It's easy to be thankful when things are
going well in our life, but very difficult to be thankful when everything seems
to be going wrong in our life. It's hard to be thankful when you don't get that
job promotion. It's not easy to be thankful when you lose a loved one. It's
difficult to thank God when prayers don't get answered in the way you like, or
when you are still waiting on the Lord for an answer. The fact is, it is God's
will that we give thanks in everything, whether good or bad. Oh, that we would
be wise and adopt Job's attitude when he said: "Though he slay me, yet
will I trust in him" (Job 13:15, KJV).
The danger in being a Christian here
in America, is that we are so blessed that we have become ungrateful and
dissatisfied. Compared to most of the countries of the world, we are extremely
wealthy. We have become far to comfortable and complacent in our attitude. Far
too many in the Church here in the West have become proud, self-centered, narcissistic,
and privileged. We have taken God's blessings for granted, we have taken Him
for granted. Instead of thanking the Lord for His many wonderful blessings, we
selfishly complain. Yet, there are many people in third world countries that
would gladly trade places with us. It seems the more God shows His goodness to
us, the less we thank Him for it. How ironic, that even animals show more
gratitude to their Creator than man does. The truth is the Western Church is
materially wealthy, but spiritually poor. John writing under the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit wrote this indictment on the Church in Laodicea: "'Because
you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of
nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor
and blind and naked,.." (Rev. 3:17, NASB). Does this not aptly
describe the state of the American Church today?
Today, I had the blessing of being invited to a friend's house for
Thanksgiving dinner. After dinner, we were asked to share what we were thankful
for. When my turn came I stated I was thankful for the trials and difficulties
in my life that has given me invaluable wisdom and experience, and has helped
to contribute to the book I am presently writing, and God willing, will soon
get published. I don't find it easy saying that, especially when life gets hard
and frustrating. Yet, my attitude during such times needs to be like that of
the Psalmist, "It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn
Your statutes." (Psalm 119:71, NASB). In God's school of difficulties,
no child of God gets exempt. The only way to genuine spiritual growth and
maturity is the way of the cross. It is when life's hardships visit us we
should consider them life's opportunities for spiritual growth.
The Apostle Paul gives cause for the
Roman Church to give thanks, when he wrote: "And we know that God
causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who
are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28, NASB). Later in the
same chapter, Paul said: "But in all these things we overwhelmingly
conquer through Him who loved us." (Rom. 8:37, NASB). Then there is
Paul's words to the Philippian Church: "Be anxious for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known to God." (Phil. 4:6, NASB). There's that phrase again, "in
everything." The NIV says, "in every situation." The
phrases in the above Scripture texts, "all things" and "all
these things" carries the same truth as seen in the phrase in today's
text: "In everything."
So we have the truth being conveyed
here that we are to give thanks "in everything;" next, "in
all these things" we are more than conquerors. Why? Because the Lord
is with us, which makes all the difference (see Phil. 4:13); then "in
everything" by prayer and supplication, there's that word again
"with thanksgiving" make our requests known to God. Not only are we
to give thanks in everything, but it is God's will that we do so. So tell me,
how thankful are you?
When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.
(Johnson Oatman, Jr.)
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