“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1Thess. 5:18)
The Apostle Paul had a clear revelation of what we should do to please God. This verse is not inclusive of all we need to do to, but it is interesting to note that Paul includes rejoicing and giving thanks with prayer. There is power in prayer, and likewise there is power in rejoicing and giving thanks. Joy and thanksgiving can be our responses to being blessed, but in obedience to God, we should rejoice and give thanks before experiencing the blessings. Like praying “without ceasing”, they should be done “always”, and in “every situation”.
There is a common belief among Christians that if God is in control of everything, we should thank Him “for” everything. Is that proper thinking? Please do not misunderstand what I am saying here. If we do not thank God, we do not honour Him, so it is better that we thank Him, even if it is without understanding. Giving thanks “for” every circumstance is good, but there is better.
Paul’s way of praying for the churches was to always begin with thanksgiving. To the Romans he says, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” (Rom. 1:8). He goes on to explain the progression of degradation of societies, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Rom. 1:21). To the Ephesians he says, “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers” (Eph. 1:15-16). He understood the need to honour God, but he also understood the power of thanksgiving.
The problem with thanking God “for” everything is that sometimes what is coming to us is from the devil, not from God. Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38b), and we should be doing the same in His name. Now, God is able to make all things work together for our good, even if it comes from the enemy, but should we thank God for something the enemy is doing? (Rom. 8:28). The answer is both yes and no. We should thank God “in” the situation, but not “for” everything in it. The principle I apply in circumstances is the same as for the food I receive with thanksgiving. When I thank God for food, I honour Him as my provider, and I trust that He will remove from it any impurities. Saying grace before a meal is not just a religious tradition, it is an act of faith. The principle is that all things are sanctified (made clean) through the prayer of thanksgiving. (1Tim. 4:5).
Not everything we read in the Scriptures aligns with our present understanding. Sometimes we try to make it fit, rather than letting God change our thinking. Take the troubles of Job, for example. We know from the Biblical account that the devil brought those troubles upon Job, but God permitted them. In fact, He initiated the entire situation! The traditional interpretation is that God did it to deal with sin in Job’s life, namely his pride. If that is true, then God lied when He told Satan that Job was a blameless and upright man (Job. 1:8). To counter this traditional teaching, the Word of Faith movement taught that Job opened the door to the devil through fear (Job 3:25). Again, how can that be if God tells the devil, “you incited Me against him without cause.” (Job 2:3). “Without cause” means without fault on Job’s part. The simple truth is that God is sovereign. If He chooses to allow the devil to bring trials upon His servants, it is for their ultimate good. There is justice in the Kingdom of God. If the devil causes us harm without cause, then he must repay it with a penalty (Ex. 22:7). This was certainly the case for Job, but more important than that, the faith and patience of Job allowed God to demonstrate to the unseen powers that the devil is a liar and God is sovereign. In the same way, when trials come to believers, it is so that “the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 3:10).
There is also the experience of Joseph. It is obvious that Joseph understood God had sent him to Egypt, even if it was through the evil actions of his brothers. “But as for you, you meant it for evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” (Gen. 50:20). Throughout the ordeal, God was in control. When his brothers wanted to kill him, God arranged it so he would be sold into slavery instead. Despite his circumstances, Joseph continued to serve God and gained favour with his masters. He did not resign himself to suffering but looked to God for deliverance. When in prison, he asked the butler to “remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.” (Gen. 40:14).
What should be our response to trials? We should continue to praise and thank God in every circumstance, trusting that He will deliver us from all our troubles. We should not resign ourselves to destruction. If we are tired, we should thank God for strength. If we are struggling with illness, we should thank God for health. If we are facing difficulties, we should thank God that He is working all things for our good. We must be patient and full of hope.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” (1Pe. 5:8-10).
Highway in the Wilderness 