In everything give thanks

By Luke Johnson

It was an “ah-ha” moment for me the first time I heard about specific verses in the Bible that said, “this is God’s will.” I Thessalonians 5:18 is one of those verses, “… in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” One of the most interesting parts of this verse is the use of the word “in”—as opposed to the word “for.”

This verse is not saying we need to give thanks for everything. I don’t think God would require any one of us to be thankful for things like sin, war, poverty, depression, infertility, a major personal health crisis, or the untimely death of a loved one.

Rather, it’s saying we need to give thanks in everything. God’s will here seems to be that His believers would eventually develop an attitude of thankfulness in all of life’s circumstances. Sometimes that may include giving thanks for certain trials in life, but other times it will look more like trusting that God’s will is greater than the temporary situation at hand.

God’s will goes beyond this physical world. It goes to eternity, and a place where we will worship Him in perpetual thankfulness, a place called Heaven.

Johnson attends Minnesota Valley Free Lutheran, Lakeville, Minn.