In Everything Give Thanks – Happy Thanksgiving 2024
1 Thessalonians 5: 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is
the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21
Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
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This beautiful string of commands has been called a string of pearls for the church. One of these
commands must get our special attention as we celebrate Thanksgiving this year: in everything give
thanks.
We often find it difficult to demonstrate gratitude for the multitude of good favors we receive from
God. It requires spiritual discipline to express our thankfulness daily to God and to others. Like the lepers
that our Lord Jesus healed, most of us prefer to enjoy our blessings and we often forget to go back to
the one from whom all blessings come to express our gratitude.
But God requires even more from us. He calls us to give thanks in every circumstance. Even when our
expectations and desires are not met, and even when we face difficulties and struggles, we are to
rejoice in the Lord and to give thanks to God. He makes it clear that this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
for us. It is His will that we trust Him in every situation and that we realize that He is working in every
circumstance to bring salvation and blessing, even if for a time we may struggle and even suffer. Our
gratitude pleases God and demonstrates our faith and submission to Him.
The time we are living in calls for joy and gratitude. We thank our God for every blessing and every
challenge, for every victory and every hardship. We know that in all things God is sovereign, and He is
leading us to victory and salvation through it all. Thanks be to God.
Happy Thanksgiving
Eddy and Cindy Delahoz