“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We know that God asks us to give thanks and be thankful, but do we always live that out? What about when things go wrong, certainly He can’t expect us to be thankful then. Actually, He does ask that of us. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 shows us exactly that. We are to be thankful in ALL circumstances. That really does mean all. Not just the ones that feel good or seem right, or make sense, or give us happiness. This idea of giving thanks in all things can be a real deal breaker for some people because they think “how can God be good if he expects me to be thankful for even the bad things in my life?”. It is a valid question and I would encourage anyone who finds themselves asking that to follow that through and keep searching for the answer.

As a Christ follower we believe God is sovereign which in short means: He is in all things and above all things. This article lays out some great scripture references and expands upon what God’s sovereignty means if you would like to dig a little deeper (which I totally encourage!!). With that said, this is exactly why we can be thankful in all things. Having the assurance that God is in control and has His hand in all things helps to keep our thankfulness in check. If God is for us, and He is good, then what happens in our lives must also be good even if it doesn’t initially seem or feel “good”.

It also depends on what you would consider to be “good”. How do you measure goodness? If it is tethered to your own feelings then goodness will sway with the tides of life as easily as a boat on rocky waters. Goodness will depend on the day and the mood. The goodness of God is not unstable like that. His goodness is something we cannot fully understand, but we can get a taste of it here on earth. Psalm34:8 “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.“. I believe a great foundation to cultivating a thankful heart in all circumstances is a three part process: recognize the sovereignty of God, believe in His goodness, and take refuge in Him when thankfulness does not come naturally.

The last part of the foundation for a thankful heart is especially important when we just can’t seem to find that silver lining. When it doesn’t look like there is anything we can be thankful for. Know that there is always something to be thankful for in all situations, and sometimes it is as basic as being thankful that God is in control.

Abba Father,

Thank you that you do know all things and you are over all things. Thank you that our current situations do not sway your goodness! You are good always and through all things we believe you have our best in mind. You are our protector and comforter. You are our provider and the source of all that is good. Thank you that you are not just good in the way we understand but rather in a much greater sense of the word that we cannot fully comprehend. Your glory is amazing and we are in awe of just how wonderful your ways are even when we cannot put the pieces together ourselves. You continue to amaze us, Lord please keep it this way. Let us continue to cultivate thankful hearts as we seek your face through this Autumn season. In Jesus name, amen.