“Thank God for everything” — 1 Thessalonians 5:18
First, the text does not say everything we go through is “the will of God.” A careful reading shows that it is our giving of thanks in (not for) EVERY SITUATION which is God’s will.
Second, we are not to give thanks FOR everything. In fact, we are instructed to pray for certain things because our prayers change situations! (See Jam. 5:14-15) This means not every situation in our lives are orchestrated by God. Therefore, Paul cannot be instructing believers to thank God for every situation. Rather, Paul’s admonition is simply this — give God thanks IN SPITE of how bad things get. THIS (giving thanks in spite of challenges) is God’s will for you, not bad situations.
© Josh Banks Ministries. 2020.
