An Anchor for Thanksgiving

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul commands believers to “give thanks in all circumstances”. That is, we are to give thanks during/in the midst of every circumstance; even the tough ones. So how do we do it? How do we remain thankful, even in those tough circumstances? When life’s storms are threatening to capsize me in despair, where is my anchor? I need something solid to hold on to and say, “this is why I am thankful to God; in the midst of my suffering and pain, this still remains true”. Fortunately, Scripture provides just that. Here are some truths that we can hold on to:

• There is a God
• He loves us very much
• He is unchanging
• He answers prayer
• Christ died for us
• We have new life through Him
• The Holy Spirit intercedes for us

And much much more.

As we approach this Thanksgiving, believers in Christ can be thankful because these truths will never change. They remain true even when our present circumstances are bleak. For this reason, we can sing to God:

“Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name” and even sing:
“Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name”
-Matt Redman