In Everything

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

(I Thessalonians 5:18)

The first word in our text is the word, “In,” not, “For.” There is a huge difference. Matthew Henry, the British Bible scholar and commentator from three centuries ago, was robbed one day by a highwayman. When he was thanking God for his day and the blessings of it, he thanked  God that even though the thief stole all that he had, it wasn’t much. Second, that even though he stole all his goods he still had his life and his health. Third, that, “it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed.” He was not thankful “for” the robbery. He was thankful “in” it.

Someone had an automobile accident. Even though the car was a total loss, the driver walked away without a scratch. He was not thankful “for” the wreck and the loss of his car. He was thankful, “in” the midst of it.

When our Christian loved ones die, we are not thankful “for” their suffering, sickness and death. We are thankful “in” the midst of it to know they had trusted the One who gave His life for them and that He had prepared a place called heaven for them.

On this Thanksgiving Day let us be thankful to God in every circumstance of life and that God is with us in all the bad times as well as the good times.