“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version). 

“…{G}iving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Ephesians 5:20).

“I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
  and I will glorify your name forever” (Psalms 86:12).

Thankfulness or gratitude is an important quality for Christians. We believe in a God who has given us indescribable grace and countless blessings, especially salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ. How can we not be thankful?

Scripture consistently intertwines gratitude with other Christian virtues and thanksgiving with different elements of prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 commands us to give thanks in all circumstances, while we rejoice always and pray without ceasing. Rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving belong together. Ephesians 5 reminds us to “give thanks always and for everything” as one aspect of being filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-21). In Psalm 86:12, the Hebrew word אודך (ʾodekā) is translated as either “I give thanks” (ESV) or “I praise” (NIV). Rejoicing, prayer, praise, and walking in the Spirit all gain their strength from thankfulness.

Genuine faith thanks God in all circumstances. This does not mean we thank God for everything. You might not want to thank God for a tornado that devastated your home or for a disease that threatens to end your life. Although we do not thank God for everything, we can thank Him in all circumstances. While enduring a difficult situation, we can thank God for who He is; we can rejoice that He loves us and is with us even as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalms 23:4).

In the Bible, David often illustrated this attitude. For example, Psalm 86 was his response to a difficult situation. “O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them” (Psalms 86:14). Most of the Psalm describes God’s character: David knew that God is gracious, good, forgiving, full of steadfast love, etc. While many people might complain about such a crisis, David focused his attention on God. Because God has proven Himself faithful, David could thank Him, praise Him, and glorify His name. He joyfully remembered past blessings and confidently anticipated the forthcoming solution to his current dilemma.

No matter what we are going through, we can thank God for what He has done, who He is, and the assurance that He will be trustworthy in our current situation. We can thank Him for finding us worthy to serve and suffer for Him (Acts 5:41). We can thank Him that even our worst days are part of His plan to reveal His glory in and through us:

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Let us thank God in all circumstances through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Lord, I thank You for always being faithful. Even when things are not going my way, I know You are in control and are working all things together for my good. Continue to give me an attitude of gratitude so that I may worship, trust, and serve You always. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

How has thankfulness affected your prayers and walk with Christ? Share your thoughts in the comments field below.

Copyright © 2025 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.