In Everything Give Thanks

"In everything give thanks,
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalonians 5:18

A minister preached a message to his church on giving thanks in everything. After the worship service, a man approached him with a question. He asked, "Are we supposed to give thanks to God for everything? What about bad things and evil?" The minister smiled and said, "You ask an important question. Remember that I said in everything, not for everything. We could never thank God for evil, because He is never the author of evil." The man was satisfied with the minister's answer. He understood.

The apostle Paul made thanksgiving an important part of his prayer life. Prayer has a four-fold purpose. It includes adoration or praise, thanksgiving, confession and petitions of request. Each one is an important part of prayer. Thanksgiving in everything is prayer according to the will of God. Thanksgiving is according to the example of Christ praying to the Father. For example, He thanked the Father for a few loaves and fish. God the Father answered His prayer of thanksgiving with a miracle of feeding the multitude. It makes me wonder, if we would see God do more in our lives through the prayer of thanksgiving. Jesus gave thanks for what had been given, and the Father gave far more.

Give thanks today for what God has given you. Even if you don't have much, give thanks in everything. Even if you don't have as much as others, give thanks in everything. Even if you have encountered loss, give thanks for what you do have, giving thanks in everything. We may often wonder if our prayer requests are according to the will of God. However, when we offer the prayer of thanksgiving in everything, we need not wonder. It is always the will of God.

Prayer: God our Father, deliver us from the sin of being unthankful. We thank You in everything, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.