1 Thessalonians 5:18: In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
It’s easy to give thanks when good things happen. However, the Bible says ‘in everything give thanks’. You know what does 'in everything' means? It includes the time when you are facing a problem or a difficult situation. Yet the Bible says, even in these, give thanks.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you are to accept your problem as ‘fated’, and nothing can be done with it anymore. That’s not what the apostle Paul meant in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. The Bible says it is God's will for you to prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).
When you give thanks (in spite of your current problem), know that your victory or breakthrough is at hand. Notice the words ‘for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you’. Now that makes a whole lot of difference in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, and Christ Jesus has made all that difference! He has already taken your curse, sickness, or any other problem when He died on the cross (Isaiah 53:4-5), and now you are blessed and healed, and now you have your victory and breakthrough! All these have been done for you when Jesus said "It is finished!" (John 19:30) on the cross. What you can do now is to believe and receive. That's why the apostle Paul wrote 'in everything give thanks', even in 'not so good' situation, because in Christ Jesus, there’s already a victory, there’s already a breakthrough, and there's already a 'way out' for you!
Let’s do some cross-reference in the Bible now. 1 Corinthians 15:57 says 'thanks be to God who gives you victory through Christ Jesus our Lord'. The word ‘gives’ here in Greek is both in present tense and continuous tense. It actually means ‘keeps on giving’. It means God 'keeps on giving' you the victory or breakthrough you needed. He has indeed won every victory for you on the cross. That's how blessed you are in Christ! And 2 Corinthians 2:14 says 'thanks be to God who always leads you in triumph in Christ'. The word ‘always’ here really means ‘always’, not ‘sometimes’, ‘often’, and not even ‘almost always’. God always. Give thanks to God who always leads you in triumph in Christ!
Why do you normally say "thank you" to someone? You say it when that someone has helped you, or at least promised to help you. It's the same when you say "thank you" to God. When you thank Him, you are actually and effectively saying thanks for His help! He is indeed your help. He has indeed carried your debt, your sickness, or your every other problem on the cross. Even if you don't see your breakthrough coming immediately, it doesn't mean nothing's happening. When you believe and receive, something has happened in the spirit, and what happens in the spirit will soon be reflected in the natural.
Are you currently facing a 'difficult' situation? Maybe it's a mounting debt, a sickness, or a problem that 'seems to have no solution' at the moment. Be encouraged, my friend. To God, nothing is ever impossible (Matthew 19:26). Only believe. In my life, I know He has never failed to deliver me, even through my 'darkest of hours'. I believe He'll never fail you too, and He'll definitely show you a 'way out'. Take heart.
Beloved, begin to give thanks, and let it flow in your heart, and out in your speech, because your victory and breakthrough is at hand!
