Thanks in All Circumstances

These three short lines are easy to memorize and hard to live: rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances. Notice that Paul says give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. He is not asking us to pretend that loss or pain is good. He is asking us to find something to be thankful for inside the hard moment, because God is still present and working there. Gratitude here is not denial; it is a way of keeping company with God when things are difficult. Paul adds that this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus. Today, choose one situation that is frustrating you and look for one thing within it you can honestly thank God for: a person who helped, a lesson emerging, or simply the strength to keep going. Say your thanks quietly, and see whether your perspective shifts even slightly.