Have you ever been given a gift that you did not want? When I was a little girl, I still remember opening a present and saying, “I already have that!” and tossing the gift aside. It was not my best moment, and I learned a lot about gift receiving and gratitude that day. Now, I know that when I am given any gift, the appropriate response is an enthusiastic “Thank you!” This is especially true of God. He gives us so many gifts every day. The question is, how do we respond to His gifts? Do we ignore the gifts around us? Do we toss them aside because they are not the gift we had hoped for? Or do we express gratitude for the gifts God gives us every day?
The apostle Paul teaches us in 1 Thessalonians 5 to always choose gratitude and thankfulness for the gifts we are given. “Be thankful in all circumstances,” he writes (verse 18). Paul did not make a mistake when he said, “all circumstances.” This means that there is always something to be thankful for. Even when you find yourselves in a difficult financial situation, you can still practice gratitude. Even when your relationships are falling apart, God is still working, and you can thank Him for continuing to work when life is hard. Even when you do not get accepted to your dream college or job, there are still opportunities to praise God if you will look for them.
After Paul called his readers to give thanks “in all circumstances,” he continued, “for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (verse 18). God desires us to be thankful. Why? Well, first and foremost, because He deserves our gratitude. Secondly, I think His will for us to be thankful is because He knows that gratitude dramatically increases our quality of life.
I do not know about you, but I would choose a grateful lifestyle over a lifestyle of complaining and focusing on all of the negative things we are facing. Complaining leads to bitterness, complacency, and disappointment. Choosing gratitude leads to joy. Let’s choose joy, even when it is hard, even when we have to fight for it.
Pay attention today to the gifts God gives you today. Every time you recognize a gift from God today, write it down or type out that gift in the Notes app on your phone. At the end of the day, pull out that list and praise God for each of the good gifts He has given you today. Remember, there is always something to be thankful for.
"Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. 13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.
14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
Paul's Final Greetings
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
25 Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us."
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss.
27 I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.
28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."
