Part One: Learning to give thanks in every circumstance
Thanksgiving is more than an occasional response to something good. It is a habit Christians are commanded to develop. Paul wrote, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1Thess 5:18). This does not mean that every circumstance is good or that suffering should not grieve us. It means that even when life is difficult, we have reasons to be thankful to God.
The New Testament teaches us to develop this habit in every part of our lives as Saints.
Give Thanks for Salvation, Both Our Own and Others’
Paul never forgot what the Lord had done for him. He wrote, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (1Tim 1:12). He remembered that he had been a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an injurious man, yet he had obtained mercy (verses 13-16).
Salvation gives us reason to be thankful every day. Christ tasted death for every man (Hebrews 2:9), and through the gospel, we learn how to receive that grace God offers in Christ. We should also give thanks when others believe and obey the truth. Paul thanked God for the faith of the Romans (Romans 1:8) and for the grace given to the Corinthians (1Cor 1:4).
When someone turns from sin to serve the Lord, we have another reason to rejoice and give thanks. We should never become so accustomed to the blessings of salvation that we forget their value.
Give Thanks for the Kindness and Support of the Saints
Godly living was never intended to be lived alone. God has given us fellow believers who encourage us, help us, and work alongside us in the gospel.
Paul told the Philippians, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you” (Phil 1:3). He was thankful for their fellowship (joint participation) in the gospel. He also expressed gratitude for their financial support of his work (Phil 4:14-18).
We should thank God for faithful brethren and recognize the good they do. We should also tell them personally when their kindness and service mean something to us. Paul did both. In Romans 16:3-4, he commended Priscilla and Aquila for risking their lives for him.
How often do we thank God for the people who encourage us, pray for us, stand beside us, and help us remain faithful? Rather than taking their kindness for granted, let us recognize it as a blessing and encourage them in return.
Give Thanks for Our Needs, Even in Life’s Storms
In Acts 27, Paul was aboard a ship caught in a violent storm. The passengers had gone many days without seeing the sun or stars, and their hope of survival was fading. Yet Paul encouraged them to eat. He took bread, “and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer...” (Acts 27:35-36).
The storm had not ended. The ship had not been saved. Paul nevertheless thanked God before eating the food he needed for strength.
This is a powerful example of thanksgiving in difficult circumstances. We may not have everything we want, and we may not understand what might come next yet, we can thank Him for the provisions we have received, for the strength to continue, and for the help He provides through others.
Paul’s example reminds us that gratitude does not have to wait until the storm passes. We can give thanks while the storm is still raging.
Thanksgiving begins when we remember what God has done for us, recognize the blessings of faithful brethren, and learn to trust Him even when life becomes difficult. These are not merely reasons to give thanks occasionally. They are reasons to develop a habit of gratitude that remains with us through every season of life.
But thanksgiving does more than help us appreciate our blessings. It also shapes our character, strengthens our faithfulness, and keeps our eyes fixed on the promises of God. In the next article, we will consider how thanksgiving helps us resist sin, sustain our hope in the Lord’s return, and remain faithful even when serving Christ brings hardship.
Agape
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