Giving Thanks in All Circumstances

Give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18, ESV)

If I am a follower of Jesus, I can always give thanks for . . .

1. The of God that me.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10, ESV)

• grace – he chose me before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4)
• grace – he purchased my pardon through the blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1:7)
• grace – he will sustain me and see me all the way home (2 Corinthians 12:9)

2. The of God to always be me and never to me.
   I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20b, ESV)

for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁶ So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5b-6, ESV)

3. The God has designed for me.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28, ESV)

4. The God is making in me.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, (Romans 5:3-4, ESV)

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4, ESV)

5. The God is preparing for me.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (John 14:1-3, ESV)

 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
(Psalm 118:1, ESV)