Doing God’s Will
Since we are deep into November, and Thanksgiving is next week, it makes sense to talk a little bit about being thankful. It may go without saying, but the topic of being thankful is pretty important for the believer. In fact, the scripture tells us that we should “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Th 5:18).
In case you’re wondering if this is a big deal, it is! There just aren’t that many verses that say plainly, and directly, what God’s will is. When we study and look, we find direction on how to live obediently according to God’s will and even how to “test and approve what God’s will is” (see Rom 12:1-2). Rarely, though, are verses this direct: “This is God’s will for you.”
You probably wonder, like I do, in specific situations what God’s will is. We ask, what job should I take? Where should I live? What school should I go to? Who should I date? Who should I marry? Where should I send my kids to school? And the list goes on and on. And these are all important questions with which we need to prayerfully seek God’s direction. But here, in a straightforward and direct way, we see a guiding principle that overlaps, and should be incorporated into, all the other areas of life: Being thankful.
Seems simple enough, doesn’t it? Wait a minute though. Did you see that three-letter word that makes things a little complicated? Yep, it’s the word “all.” That makes the idea of being thankful much more difficult. We aren’t called to just be thankful. We are called to “give thanks in all circumstances.” It’s not complicated. “All” means all. It doesn’t mean “some” or “good.” We are told to be thankful in all circumstances, not just some of the time, or when things are good.
It was the apostle Paul who wrote these words. If anyone understood difficult circumstances he did. He writes, “five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked” (2 Cor 11:23-27). Paul experienced all these things and still could write these words “give thanks in all circumstances.”
Of course, Paul’s experiences are not ours, but they can encourage us that even in difficult circumstances, we can be thankful. Being a Christian does not mean we get a free pass from all the difficulties of life. It does not mean that we will never be faced with health concerns for ourselves or those we love. Just because you love the Lord, don’t think that you will never face financial difficulty. Being a Christian does not mean that you are excused from the tears of grief that come with the loss of a loved one.
No, being a Christian does not give us a free pass from experiencing the difficulties of life. The difference for us is that, in the midst of difficult circumstances, we can still give thanks. I haven’t said it before but let me be clear right now: We are not being asked to be thankful for all circumstances but thankful in all circumstances. We would not be human if we were thankful for all circumstances. God knows our weaknesses. He knows our frailties. He does not expect us to be thankful for all of our difficult circumstances but he gives us reason to be thankful in the midst of them.
So how is it that we can be thankful when things just aren’t going the way we’d like? Paul, who instructed us to give thanks in all circumstances, and who experienced difficulty himself, wrote “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor 4:16-18).
I don’t know your circumstances. Things may be really great in your life right now. Praise God and thank Him. If things are tough right now, praise God and thank Him as well. Fix your eyes on what is unseen. Eternal glory awaits us on both the good days and the bad days.
It’s pretty clear, isn’t it? One sure way to be doing God’s will is to “give thanks in all circumstances.”
Dave Foucar has a passion for teaching God’s word. His first book, “What Do I Say When Asked About Jesus?” is a conversational approach to helping people answer questions about Jesus. The book provides a layman’s perspective on personal evangelism and the basics of the Christian faith. Dave has been married for thirty-six years to the love of his life, Debbie. They have three daughters, two sons-in-law, and two granddaughters. To read more of David’s writing visit his Substack page.
Photo by Scripture-Images
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Job 33:4.
I owe Him a lot of thanks.