Give thanks in all circumstances.
Paul didn't say give thanks for all circumstances. He said in. There's a world of difference.
The episode in a glance.
- 01'In all circumstances' — not 'for all circumstances.'
- 02Thankfulness is a practice, not a feeling that arrives on cue.
- 03Even in hard seasons, there is always something to thank God for.
- 04'This is the will of God for you' — gratitude is part of the Christian basics.
Read along.
'Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.'
Read it carefully. Paul says in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. He's not asking you to thank God for cancer or betrayal or grief. He's asking you to find something to thank him for while you're in it.
That's a practice you can actually do. Even on the worst day, there's still air in your lungs, a person who loves you, mercy you didn't deserve.
Gratitude is a muscle. It strengthens with use. People who practice it on small days have it ready on hard days.
And notice the last clause — 'this is the will of God for you.' If you've ever wondered what God's will is, here's a piece of it, written in plain English. Be grateful.