First Thessalonians 5:18 is a reminder to be thankful, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT). However, after contemplating the verse, I came to realize that being thankful may not be as easy as we think. For it involves being thankful for not only the blessings that we receive, but also for the hurts, disappointments, and setbacks­ we experience. The implication is that thankfulness is a lifestyle. It is not something to be turned on and off or to be applied only in favorable outcomes.

As a result, I struggled with the idea of being thankful “in all circumstances” because after all, life has not always dealt me a good hand.  Therefore, from a human standpoint, it does not make sense to be thankful in all circumstances. But clearly, God’s thoughts are not my thoughts, and neither are my ways His ways. For in this verse, God challenges each of us to do the opposite of what makes sense and what we are accustomed to. He challenges us to be thankful in all circumstances, and He does mean ‘all’.

Why this challenge? Here is the probable answer. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). That’s right! God uses all our circumstances to produce good in us and for us. For example, through the loss of a job, God teaches us to depend on Him; through an illness, God teaches us endurance, patience, and the sufficiency of His grace. Every moment of hurt, suffering, disappointment, and setbacks is a teachable moment with God. Every moment is an opportunity for God to produce good in us, through us, and for us.

No wonder Paul concludes, “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecution, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Paul is thankful for all the circumstances in his life for because of them, he has experienced the power of Christ working in him and through him. Likewise, if we are “thankful in all circumstances” we can also experience the power of Christ working in us and through us. This experience is not only for the Apostle Paul but for every born-again believer.