Thankful in All Circumstances

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

There is a joy to be found in Jesus. That’s not to say that we’ll always be happy in our circumstances. But we should always be filled with joy. And we should always be thankful. Why? Because of all that Jesus is, and because of all He’s done.

No matter our circumstances, as believers, we have certain inalienable truths we can cling to. Our sins are forgiven! Jesus paid for it all on the cross! He did that for us out of love! We are His, and we know that one day we are going to be with Him in paradise! In that we can and should rejoice!

Our joy and gratitude should shine like a light to those around us.

In the United States, we set aside one day a year to be thankful for God’s provision. In fact, we call that day Thanksgiving. We gather with family and friends to share a hearty meal and a time of fellowship. It’s a day of rejoicing. But every day given us by God is a day to rejoice—and an opportunity to be thankful.

Prayer is the vessel through which we commune with God. Through prayer we present our requests to Him. Through prayer we give thanks for His love, His provision, for His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and for His glorious Son—who Himself intercedes for us in prayer.

This is the will of God in Christ Jesus for each of us, that we rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.

Dear Lord,
We rejoice in your steadfast love for us.
We thank you for the cross, for your provision in our lives,
and for your grace. Let our lives glorify your name.
—AMEN

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