I Thessalonians 5:18
“in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
This is a universal question, “What is God’s will for my life?” Every culture over time has sought this. He will rarely provide details as it relates to daily matters. However, there are some things that are His will for everyone.
The means of salvation is the first. Acts 4:12 says, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” The Lord wants all people to be reconciled to Him. He paid a great price to make a way, the death of His Son. A second aspect of His will for everyone is to become christlike. Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” We were created for this. We will reach the greatest degree of contentment as we toss off the world’s ways and become more christlike.
Today’s verse shares another aspect of God’s general will for everyone, “to give thanks in all things”. In previous entries we’ve discussed that the Lord blesses us. We are to be thankful for that. We also wrote that He brings trials into our lives to make us more like Him. This painful present will lead to being more like Him. We are to be thankful for these times. It’s difficult to be thankful for the latter. As these times often give us great grief. However, with the eyes of faith we can rise above our circumstances. That’s how we can give thanks in that which appears to be thankless.
Lord, thank You that You have Your will for us. Help us to walk in it. Help us us to be thankful in all things.