Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. —1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Is it truly possible to give thanks in all circumstances? Yes. There might be aspects of the circumstance that God doesn’t want—troubles caused by sin or the brokenness of a fallen world. But there are bound to be elements of the circumstance you can be thankful for.

Thank God that he is with you.

Thank him for how he can form your heart as you persevere.

Thank him for helping you respond with love, faith, and hope.

Thank him for the other people who are standing with you.

Thank him for what he might be doing in their lives because of you that you aren’t aware of.

Once you get started, you can probably think of many more reasons to thank him. Write down these things instead of just thinking of them. Writing your gratitude helps to solidify it in your mind so that it affects your mood and your choices.

Even better: tell someone else you are grateful for him or her for something specific. Doing that will spread the gratitude around.

Food for Thought: Giving thanks in all circumstances will transform the way you experience your life and see the goodness of God.

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