Thanksgiving: How can someone give thanks in everything?
Aren’t we as believers commanded to give thanks in everything? Doesn’t the Bible clearly tell us we’re to do this faithfully?
1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. [Emphasis added]
But how is it possible for us to do that when there are so many things that happen to us that we’re prone to see as bad? Let’s note the verse that comes right before the one we just noted—
1 Thessalonians 5:17
17 Pray without ceasing. [Emphasis added]
Doesn’t it seem likely that when Paul wrote this epistle praying and giving thanks were connected in his mind? Then we’ve also been given a promise that relates to all this—
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [Emphasis added]
However, the problem with this verse is that the King James Version of it IS NOT correct. I love the King James Version of the Bible and use it nearly every day. But as I’ve said before in other articles you’ll find on this website, the King James Bible truly is just a Version of the Bible. Nothing more! In fact, here’s the link to two of my articles about this—
KJV: Which verses demand the Greek text to understand?
That Romans 8:28 verse wasn’t originally written by the apostle Paul in Old English. He wrote it in what is called Koine Greek. Then over fifteen centuries later it was translated into English and other languages. Is that important for us to know. Of course it is! In the words that our apostle Paul wrote he stated that it is GOD who works all things together for good. It is God who is the subject of the sentence, not all things! Here again is the King James Version of that verse—
Romans 8:28 again
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [Emphasis added]
But then we have Paul speaking of this same principle in his Ephesian letter—
Ephesians 1:11
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him [God] who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: [Emphasis added]
This tells us that it is GOD who works all things together for good. Shouldn’t we take delight in the fact that God can work through even what appear to be the worst of circumstances to bring things about that are good for us? Don’t we need to be mindful of this principle when we’re going through what we’re seeing as difficult times and trying circumstances?
One of my favorite stories in the Bible that relates so well to this is the one about Jacob’s son, Joseph that’s recorded in Genesis 37-50. I don’t know how familiar you are with all the terrible things Joseph’s brothers did to him, but it’s quite a story. His brothers constantly did things that expressed their deep-seated envy of him. They even put him in a pit to die alone of starvation and then got him out to sell him into slavery. It is a story of how God used all that suffering his evil brothers brought into his life to bring great blessing to not only Joseph but to his family and even the whole world. It truly is quite a story. Many valuable lessons can be learned from all this. But what I want to point out is Joseph’s final summary analysis of all he’d been through. Here are his gracious words he spoke to his evil brothers who had been so cruel in their treatment of him—
Genesis 50:20-21
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. [Emphasis added]
What a statement! What grace he extended to them! Don’t you suppose God can do something similar in principle in your life? Don’t you think He can use your circumstances to bring His greatest blessing into your life that’ll even be a blessing to others? One thing we all need to learn to do is to see our kind and loving God in all our circumstances. He can use those circumstances to bring fabulous blessing into your life. This is a part of why you should never react to your circumstances. The right choice is to respond to them with some divine insight you’ve learned from the Bible.
God loves each of us with a love far greater than we’ve ever known from anyone else. He has proven that love He has for you, despite all your foolishness and unworthiness, by providing a Savior for you. There’s nothing else He could do that would be more valuable.
Romans 5:8-10
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. [Emphasis added]
What a statement! Just pause to look at all that again! Look at what He’s done for you despite your unworthiness. And if you think you’re the least bit worthy of all the things He’s done for you, you need to get in touch with reality because we’re all unworthy creatures. He’s been merciful in His treatment of all of us. Yes, as the old hymn states it— count your blessings and name then one by one. The list is endless! Here are the words to the Johnson Oatman, Jr. hymn about this—
1 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 hath done.
Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
2 Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by. [Refrain]
3 When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. [Refrain]
4 So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end. [Refrain]
These words are consistent with all the words of Scripture about this. We all need to be mindful that if God will do the greater, He’ll surely do the lesser. In other words, if God sacrificed His Son to provide a Savior for you, He’ll certainly do the lesser things for you. Here’s what the Scriptures say about this—
John 15:13
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. [Emphasis added]
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
Didn’t Jesus Christ do that for you and even all mankind? Those who foolishly believe in Reformed Theology or Calvinism deny this principle. Those people believe this was only done for those God preselected to save. But look at what the Scriptures tell us—
1 John 2:2
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and NOT for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. [Emphasis added]
Then there’s also that so well-known passage—
John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. [Emphasis added]
It is both sad and amusing to listen to Calvinists and others attempt to redefine words like “ALL” and “WORLD.” The truth of the matter is that the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ provided a way for the salvation of anyone and even everyone in the whole world. People must personally accept that provision to gain their salvation, but the possibility for their salvation has been put in place. Anyone can be saved! Do we not have all this and more for which to be thankful? Shouldn’t these truths bring joy to us in every circumstance? As it has been rightly said—we may lose some battles in this, but we’ve won the war.
God is never pleased with us when we grumble or murmur about our circumstances. I end this article with a reminder of the command we’ve all been given. And always remember that God is reasonable; He never commands us to do anything we’re incapable of doing.
Again, 1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. [Emphasis added]
You can ignore this or apply it; the choice is yours. But always remember that it’s not the doctrine that you know that counts. It is the doctrine that you apply that’s going to make the eternal difference in your life.
