Give Thanks In All Circumstances

This week is Thanksgiving week and it reminds us all to be very thankful for what God has given us.  It also reminds me of the verses in 1 Thessalonians that speak of God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.  In two short verses, the Apostle Paul tells us three very important virtues that are always part of God’s will for our lives: “Be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.”  It is my prayer and hope that we would keep this truth in our hearts this week and always!

We might not always understand God’s will for our lives and we might not always be able to change our circumstances, but we can rest in knowing God’s will is that we never lose our joy because we have Him!  To never stop praying because He is listening and He cares!  And to give thanks in all the circumstances of our lives no matter what comes our way, so we keep our eyes on Jesus and we don’t sink in the crashing waves of our troubles!  That is how He wants us to live our lives in Jesus!

This Thanksgiving many of us are suffering and facing many challenges.  We don’t always feel like being thankful and many times we find ourselves complaining.  The Lord has been reminding me lately to be thankful in the midst of my troubles.  He wants me to keep seeking Him and giving Him my heart in prayer.  Doing those things will naturally lead to joy in the Holy Spirit.  It is only through Jesus alone that I could ever be joyful always, continually praying, and thankful through all the trials and tribulations of this world!  Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit helping us!

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus speaking in Acts 1:8

We have received power from Jesus through the Holy Spirit and that power enables us to have a steady river of joy in our soul!  Joy is not the same thing as happiness, which is tied to circumstances.  Joy comes from the constantly flowing river of life inside of us by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can dip into anytime!  In the midst of suffering, dip into the joy!  In the midst of bills, dip into the joy!  In the midst of unanswered prayers and questions, dip into the joy!  Praying continually and giving thanks in all circumstances is tied to being joyful always because it gets our eyes off of our troubles and allows us to dip into His joy!  There is nothing that compares with the joy of our salvation through Jesus and we need to be swimming in it!

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

John 7:37-38

Giving thanks in all circumstances brings glory to God and defeats the evil one’s lies.  Praying continually enables us to give every circumstance to God and put the battle in His hands, which in turn gives us peace.  When we live like this we can be joyful always as it empowers us to rest in the sovereignty of our Creator.

“Trust in the Lord with all

your heart

and lean not on your own

understanding;

in all your ways

acknowledge him,

and he will make your

paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4-7

Yes, I have many troubles and circumstances that I want to change, but I also have so many reasons to give thanks to God through it all!  When I lift my head up and give thanks to the Lord, my troubles look small and I am able to see that God was bigger all along.  I pray I keep a heart of thankfulness through this season and always, and I pray you do too!

Grace and peace to you all and Happy Thanksgiving!

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

P.S.

Here are some photos my Mom took when she was visiting earlier this year.  These are good ol’ Colorado wild turkeys in our neighborhood.  The babies got stuck in our backyard for a little while.  I have pictures, but they are blurry.  After the mama turkey got her babies out, they walked around to the front down the street and My Mom caught up to them.  Look at the little baby turkeys!  So cute!

God bless you all!  Have a great time eating turkey and being thankful!

Author: Ryan Callahan

Hello, and welcome to my site! I am an independent Christian author (One Man's Very Strange Supernatural Life), blogger, and evangelist for Jesus. My main goal with this blog is to help people come to know Jesus, help people understand the Bible, and to minister to a lost and hurting world. This site is about hope, new beginnings, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love! I'm glad you are here, God bless you! Copyright © 2024 Ryan Callahan. All rights reserved. View all posts by Ryan Callahan