“Always be joyful. [17] Never stop praying. [18] Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT
“Give thanks in all circumstances”? Is that even possible, or was Paul trying to make some ironic point to the Thessalonians? Folks, can you really give thanks when you have just lost your job? Or when you have just been told you have cancer? Or when you are being bullied at school? There is nothing to be thankful for in any of those circumstances, is there?
It turns out the Paul wasn’t joking. There are thing to be thankful for in all circumstances. We just need to know where to look. If we have trouble seeing beyond the bad in our lives, we can ask God to open our eyes to the things He’s doing that we can’t see. He will help us see concerned friends, committed doctors, caring teachers and other resources we may not have noticed.
Folks, even if you can’t see what God is doing in your life now, you can thank Him for the things He has done in the past. There is no expiration date on God’s blessings. You can still mention them in prayer, no matter how long ago you received them.
Remember if you learn to praise God in all circumstances, you will grow closer to Him.
The Scriptural Truth 