“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Gratitude is not a seasonal sentiment, nor a polite reflex (though it can be and is those things)—it is a spiritual stance, a covenantal response, and an act of faith. Paul’s exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is not a suggestion for when life feels manageable. It is a command tied to the divine will, like so many things in life, it is often forged in the furnace of suffering and always sanctified by the presence of Christ and for Christ. “In everything”—not around it, not after it, not once we understand it. In everything.
Biblical gratitude is not natural, but given enough practice it can become second nature. It resists reductionism and need not wait for clarity. It is the kind of thankfulness that sings in prison (Acts 16:25), that blesses the Lord at all times (Psalm 34:1), and that sees God’s providence even in the mundane or struggles of life. It is not blind optimism—it is rooted awareness, for gratitude opens our eyes to see the activity of God even when everything around us is chaos.

Consider Job. After losing everything, he tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground—not in despair, but in worship (Job 1:20–21). “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” This is gratitude that hurts. It is not denial—it is declaration. It says, “God is still faithful and worthy of our worship,” even when the harvest fails and the fig tree does not blossom (Habakkuk 3:17–18).
Gratitude is also a guardrail. Philippians 4:6–7 reminds us to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let our requests be made known to God. Thanksgiving is not the garnish—it is the gateway to peace. It recalibrates our hearts, reorients our prayers, and releases us from fear’s grip.
Gratitude also gives us understanding that God is always at work. Psalm 50:23 says, “Who ever offers praise glorifies me: and to him that orders his conversation rightly I will show the salvation of God.” Thanksgiving is not just a response—it is a revealer. It helps us to see salvation, not just in the eternal sense, but in the daily deliverances we may be ignorant of. There are doubtless countless times that the Lord has delivered us from danger and death but were unaware. Our faith reminds us of this and to be thankful!
So let us give thanks—not just when the sun shines, but when the storm rages. Let us cultivate gratitude as a daily discipline, an anchor four our hearts, and a witness to our minds of God’s abundant grace and mercy. For in everything, God is present. And in everything, He is worthy of all our praise!