1 Thessalonians 5:18

1 Thessalonians 5:18. In every thing give thanks. ‘For example, (1) in the use of God's gifts: Acts 27:35, He took bread and gave thanks to God in presence of them all (2) In the enjoyment of social converse: Acts 28:15, whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage. (3) In acknowledgment of special blessings: 2 Corinthians 1:11, that for the gifts bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf (4) Generally in reference to God's dealings with us both in providence and grace: Ephesians 5:20, giving thanks always for all things unto God' (Vaughan).

For this is the will of God. It is doubtful whether these words refer to the three foregoing clauses or only to the last-mentioned. Nor is it obvious why Paul makes the remark. Had he meant that everything that happens to us is God's will in Christ Jesus towards us, this would have been a good reason for our giving thanks for it. Could we learn to see in each hardship and disappointment another step towards the perfect fulfilment of God's gracious purposes towards us, we could then give thanks for all that happens. But his words will hardly bear this meaning. Probably therefore he reminds his readers that it is God's will they should be thankful because he was impressed both with the supreme importance of the duty and with the prevalent neglect of it. ‘If we had to name any one thing which seems unaccountably to have fallen out of most men's practical religion altogether, it would be the duty of thanksgiving. It would not be easy to exaggerate the common neglect of this duty....To most of us there is hardly a quarter of an hour in our lives more tedious, idle, aimless, unsatisfactory, than what we call our thanksgiving' (Faber's All for Jesus, pp. 216, 254).