DAILY ENCOUNTER

GIVE THANKS IN ALL THINGS. 

"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

Glory to God! Yesterday, we discussed entering the gates of God with thanksgiving. Today, we are going to look at a very short but powerful passage in which Apostle Paul gives us three instructions for the believer: rejoice, pray, and give thanks. Rejoicing is the attitude of the heart, prayer is divine communication with God, and thanksgiving is the access to what God has done. Apostle Paul did not say, 'Rejoice sometimes.' He says, 'Rejoice evermore.' He did not say, 'Pray when you have time.' He says, 'Pray without ceasing.' The Christian life is not a part-time experience. It is a life of continual joy, continual communion with God, and continual gratitude. How is that possible? It is possible because our joy is not rooted in what happens to us but in who lives in us. And our prayer is not limited to certain hours; it is a conversation that continues through the day, in the office, on the road, and at home. Praying without ceasing does not mean we never stop to do anything else; it means we live with an awareness of God that never switches off so that we can turn to Him at any moment.

Look at the last instruction closely: 'In everything give thanks.' It did not say 'for everything', as if we should thank God for evil, sickness, or tragedy. He says, 'in everything.' In the middle of every situation, there is something we can thank God for. When you are in the hospital, thank Him for the doctors and for His presence. When you have lost your job, thank Him for the skills He has given you, and for the doors, He will open. Daniel is an example. When he heard that the decree had been signed that would send him to the lions' den if he prayed, the Bible says that he went to his house, kneeled down three times a day, and prayed, giving thanks before his God, as he did before. He did not stop giving thanks because there was a threat. Gratitude made him steady while everyone around him was shaking. Then the scripture adds the reason: 'For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us.' Gratitude is not optional. It is the will of God for our lives. If we want to know God's will in the dark seasons of life, here it is: give thanks. So, make it your lifestyle. Rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in everything, and you will walk in the will of God. Hallelujah!!!

FURTHER STUDY

Daniel 6:10; Philippians 4:4-6; Colossians 3:15-17 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. In which situation right now do I find it hardest to give thanks, and what can I thank God for in the middle of it?
2. How can I build a lifestyle of continual prayer and joy instead of limiting them to certain times of the day?

PRAYERS

Father, thank You for Your word. Help me to rejoice evermore, to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in everything in Jesus's name. Amen.