In I Thessalonians 5:18, the apostle Paul wrote, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Everything means both good and bad, not just the good. “In everything” is not the same as “for everything.”
The apostle is encouraging us to have an “attitude of gratitude” concerning our entire life, not just the times when things are going well. It’s sometimes takes time for us to realize benefits we received by enduring tough times. Paul makes it perfectly clear that God’s Will for us is to be thankful people. Take time this week to ask people what they are thankful for. Let’s encourage others to be thankful by our example.