Give Thanks in Everything | A Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Introduction
Thanksgiving is this Thursday.  I’m thankful Kelly doesn’t have to work and our kids are all coming up.  Since my wife works as a nurse in a hospital, it is rare that she is off and we can all gather to celebrate the holiday on the actual Thanksgiving day.

Thanksgiving is something Christians should strive to practice everyday.  Gratitude is a lifestyle. A thankful heart is possible when we root our life in Christ, not in our circumstances.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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.

“Always Be Joyful.” (verse 16)
This is one of the shortest—and yet most challenging—commands in Scripture.  So let’s take a closer look at it.  Verse 16 says, “Always be joyful.”

You might think it’s impossible to always be joyful.  There are so many difficult times in our lives where it seems impossible to be happy
But it is possible if you understand what Paul really means.

Paul is not saying:
Always be happy.  Every person has ups and downs. Sometimes you're happy, sometimes you're sad. Some people are more even-keeled than others. Other people are really happy one moment and really sad the next. But joy is not the same as being happy. Paul is not saying, “Be happy at all times.” He's saying, “Be joyful.”

He's also not saying we should pretend everything is fine. We know bad things and evil things happen, and it's okay to acknowledge it. You don't have to pretend. 

Paul is not saying we should ignore grief or pain.  We all go through pain. When someone dies that we love, we grieve for them. And it’s important that we don’t pretend we're not sad or grieving, because that's not healthy and it will come out in other ways. But joy can exist even in the midst of grief. And I want to tell you this—joy is more remarkable, real joy is more remarkable because of pain. When you see someone who is full of joy even though they are full of pain, that is wonderful.  It's remarkable.

Paul is saying:
Choose joy because your joy is in Jesus, not in circumstances.  This is important because circumstances change, feelings rise and fall, but Christ is constant.  We can choose joy because our joy is in Christ and Jesus is always the same.

A Thermometer vs. Thermostat
How many of you are cooking a turkey this week?  When we cook our turkey, we use two important tools that are related (and sound similar), but have different functions.  We use a thermometer and a themostat.  A thermometer measures the temperature of the food.  It reacts to the conditions.  A thermostat tells the oven what temperature to aim for.  It controls the environment.

Most people act like thermometers.  They simply react to whatever is happening around them.  If good things are happening they are happy.  If bad things, they are sad, angry, depressed.  They simply reflect whatever’s happening around them.

Christians who choose joy are like thermostats.  They tell their life what attitude to aim for. We aim for the joy that we have in Christ. We may not be there yet—we may not be in a joyful environment—but we're aiming for Christ, and He changes our life.  Christians who chose joy bring the energy that changes the world around them and makes it more joyful.  The source of that energy is the Holy Spirit.  It is the light of Christ burning within us, even in a dark world.

“Never stop praying.” (verse 17)
Verse 17 says, “Never stop praying.”  You might think it’s impossible to never stop praying. But it is possible if you understand what Paul really means.

Paul is not commanding nonstop verbal prayer. Paul is describing a posture of prayer—constant communion, continual awareness of God’s presence.

Prayer fuels gratitude because:
You stay connected to the Source of peace. Remember Jesus in the boat during the storm? He was asleep while the disciples panicked. Jesus could rest because He was connected to the Father. When we stay connected to Jesus, we can have peace even in our storms.

Prayer fuels gratitude because you are reminded you are not alone. Think about Jesus in Gethsemane. Facing the cross, He prayed. He prayed so He would remember He was not alone—His Father was with Him. If Jesus needed prayer, so do we.

Prayer fuels gratitude because you begin to see God working in the everyday moments. My wife and I have been preparing to sell our home. A photographer came yesterday, but it was raining and overcast. Kelly kept praying, “Lord, just let the sun break through for a few minutes.” And at the exact moment the photographer arrived, the clouds broke and sunlight lit up the front of our house. Some call that coincidence—I call it God answering her prayer. And when you begin to thank God for moments like that, you start seeing His presence everywhere.

Prayer is like breathing. When it’s healthy, you don’t even notice it. But when your breathing is off—like with a cold or a sinus infection—you notice it immediately. Prayer is like that. When your prayer life is sick, nothing else seems to work well. So maintain a posture of continual prayer, and it will change your attitude.

“Be thankful in all circumstances…”
As with the other statements in this passage, it seems impossible to “be thankful in all circumstances.”  How can anyone possible do that?  But look closer at Paul’s statement.

Paul does not say: “Be thankful for all circumstances…”  Some things are evil, tragic, or heartbreaking.  God does not expect you to be thankful for evil or injustice or loss.

However, Paul does say: “Be thankful in all circumstances…” because God is working in all things for the good of those who love Him.  

We can give thanks in everything because God is with us in every circumstance, Christ redeems all suffering, nothing is wasted in God’s hands, and our hope is eternal, not temporary.  Remember, gratitude isn’t a reaction to blessings.  Gratitude is an acknowledgment of God’s faithfulness in all circumstances—even when life is hard.

“…for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Now Paul tell us why we should live in these challenge ways.  It is God's will for you.  

Understand this:  God’s will for you is not primarily about where you work, where you live, or  who you marry.  God cares about all these things in your life, but they are not the main focus.  

God’s will is for you about who you are deep down inside. God wants you to have a joyful spirit, a prayerful heart, and a grateful lifestyle.  These characteristics will last forever and change everything about how you see the world, your circumstances, and your purpose.

The Thanksgiving Lifestyle
If we want to shift our attitude about thanksgiving from a holiday we celebrate once a year to a lifestyle where we give thanks every day, it requires at least three changes.

The first change is from occasional gratitude to daily gratitude.   Thank God for small things—sunrise, breath, warm home, friendship.

The second change is from focusing on our circumstances to focusing on Christ. Circumstances change; Christ never does.  Don’t let what’s happening around you control your attitude. Instead, keep your eyes on Jesus and trust Him no matter what’s going on.”

The third change is from reactive thanks to intentional thanks.  Don’t let your thankfulness depend on your mood or the moment. Choose to be grateful on purpose, not just when life goes your way.

This shift doesn’t happen overnight.  But with practice we can live out Paul’s instruction to live a thankful lifestyle.  Here’s some ways to practice thankful living this week.

1. Wake up every day with a prayer of gratitude. Before your feet hit the floor, say, “Thank You, Lord, for this new day.”

2. Keep a list of things you’re thankful for. Write them down throughout the day.

3. Turn complaints into prayers. When you want to complain, pause and thank God instead.

4. Express gratitude to one person daily. Send a note, a text, or say a simple thank-you.

5. End your day with a prayer of thanks. Review your blessings and say, “Thank You, Lord.”

Closing Prayer
Lord, we thank You for Your goodness to us. Help us stretch our Thanksgiving Day into a Thanksgiving lifestyle—365 days a year. Teach us to be thankful in every circumstance, because our gratitude is anchored not in our circumstances but in You, whose faithful love endures forever. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.