Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:16–18).
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul elaborates: "Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God" (Phil. 4:6).
An attitude of gratitude should envelop our prayers and petitions, which the Lord expects us to bring to Him.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul elaborates: "Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God" (Phil. 4:6).
An attitude of gratitude should envelop our prayers and petitions, which the Lord expects us to bring to Him.
Don't skip the prepositions here — "in everything give thanks"… "with thanksgiving…" — what we don't see is "be thankful for everything." The difference is profound. While we may never be grateful for certain painful experiences, we can still be grateful during them. We can still pray with a thankful heart.
Why? Because our hope is not in the potential answers to our prayers. Our hope is in the God to whom we pray! In Him we trust. He has given us life itself — freedom, salvation, grace, mercy. He chose us to be his children. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God" (1 John 3:1).
Who can't be thankful for that?
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