“…in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you“
in everything give thanks;
We can give thanks “in everything” because we know that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28). God ordains adversity as well as prosperity. Every circumstance that comes our way is from God. Failure to accept this as true is an indication of skepticism about God’s plan for the universe. We can give thanks for everything because God is in control.
Principle:
We give thanks for everything that comes into our lives because it comes by the will of God.
Application:
There is a difference between giving thanks “for” everything and “in” everything. If we gave thanks “for” everything, that would mean that we give thanks for the Devil and his plan for the world!
Neither do we give thanks necessarily “after” everything. It does not require much faith to trace the hand of God with the benefit of hindsight. However, it takes faith to accept one’s lot with gratitude in the midst of circumstances.
“…giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Ephesians 5:20).
This passage in Ephesians is more powerful than our verse in Thessalonians. We are to give thanks always for all things. When the police call and tell you that your son is in jail, it is difficult to give thanks for that. But we need to have the attitude of Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:18,
“Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, ‘It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him.’
Whatever comes in our lives comes in by the will of God; otherwise, He would prevent it. God mixes with His divine compound the bitter and the sweet, the good and the bad, in appropriate proportions so that they work together for good. God knows just the right amount of sunshine and rain. He measures out these things with great precision.
I find it verydifficult to believe that q woman being beating beaten and raped and getting pregnant is Go’s doing. I have heard some famious religious counselors respond to women in this horrific situation quote the scriptur ‘ and I formed you in your womb”. After 10 years in the criminal justice field with a degrees in criminal justice and religious studies and sociplpgy backgrounds I know that rapist , their minds can pass it on to to offspring. If the Christ god allows this, I don’t want to know about.
Dumas, thanks for your comments. I agree that rapists and women beaters need to be dealt with summarily. These events are not God’s doing; God gave mankind freewill and the result is sin (violation of the character of God). The reason Christ came was to die for the sins of man including yours and mine.
It is a bit puzzling why religious leaders would quote the passage about God putting us in the womb as referring to rape or woman beating. That passage refers to a child being a child from conception, not birth. It is a pro-life passage. You may have misunderstood them in this respect.
It cannot possibly be said that “whatever comes into our lives comes in by the will of God.” Surely not! If freewill is what allows man to make wrong decisions, this is not God’s will for man.
God’s Will is always good never bad. He wants people to chose Him; to live for Him; and put Him first. He died because His Will is that no man should perish. But, when bad things happen God is able to take it, and turn it around for our good. He is just incompareable when it comes to doing this. He does it with such ease and finesse that we are often stunned. But in retrospect, we can see, how, even thought the bad happened, God brougnt us through to good.
I often shudder when I hear folk say that “God has allowed this and that to happen” because this points the finger at God and not at the offender. We live in a world where people don’t want to take responsibility for their actions and it’s easy today to “pass the buck”. God allows it in the sense that He has given man free will but he had nothing to do with that man’s judgement or choices.
Jema, Assuming the principle of free will as noted in my comment to Dumas, we cannot negate the sovereignty of God in every detail of our lives otherwise we cannot “give thanks in everything.” If God is not sovereign then we have a dualism in the universe–Satan and God. We would not know which of the two would win. Biblically, there is no question who will win because He is sovereign. He controls everything in our lives either by His direct or permissive will.
Note this study on Divine Decree:
DIVINE DECREE
by Dr Grant C. Richison
I. DEFINITION
A. IT IS GOD’S ETERNAL PLAN
B. IT IS GOD’S ETERNAL, HOLY, WISE AND SOVEREIGN PURPOSE, COMPREHENDING AT ONCE ALL THINGS THAT EVER WERE OR WILL BE–IN THEIR CAUSES, COURSES, SUCCESSIONS AND RELATIONS–AND DETERMINING CERTAIN FUTURITION.
C. IN REALITY, THERE IS ONLY ONE DECREE–THE SUM TOTAL OF GOD’S PLAN.
D. THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD IS THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE DECREES.
1. SELF-KNOWLEDGE= GOD KNOWS HIMSELF TOTALLY.
2. OMNISCIENCE= GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS OUTSIDE HIMSELF BOTH ACTUALLY AND POSSIBLY.
3. FOREKNOWLEDGE= THIS ACKNOWLEDGES THE ACTUAL FACTS OF REALITY–FOREKNOWLEDGE MAKES NOTHING CERTAIN, IT ONLY ACKNOWLEDGES WHAT IS CERTAIN.
II. FUNCTION OF THE DECREE
A.OMNISCIENCE=
1. GOD KNOWS PERFECTLY, ETERNALLY, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY ALL THAT IS KNOWABLE, BOTH THE ACTUAL AND THE POSSIBLE.
2. SUCH PERCEPTION AND SAGACITY IS TOTALLY COMPATIBLE WITH HIS ESSENCE.
3. OMNISCIENCE SEES THE FREE AS FREE, THE NECESSARY AS NECESSARY, TOGETHER WITH ALL THEIR CAUSES, CONDITIONS, AND RELATIONS, AS ONE UNDIVIDABLE SYSTEM OF THINGS, EVERY LINK OF WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE WHOLE. EVERY CAUSE AND EFFECT IS RELATED TO ANOTHER CAUSE AND EFFECT VOLITION IS THE UNCAUSED CAUSE OF HUMAN FUNCTION SO THAT THE COURSE OF HISTORY IS JUST AS MAN THINKS IT, WILLS IT, DOES IT. “PREDESTINATION” DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD FORCES US INTO AN ACTION. EVEN THOUGH GOD KNEW WHICH WAY YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO GO AND DECREED ONLY THAT ONE TO BECOME REALITY, HE KNOWS ALL THE REPERCUSSIONS OF EACH ALTERNATIVE.
B. THE DECREE ITSELF=
1. THE DECREES ARE THE COMPLETE AND CONSUMMATED RIGHT OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD TO DETERMINE THE CERTAIN FUTURITION OF ALL THINGS.
a. GOD HAS RIGHTS.
b. GOD HAS EXERCISED THIS RIGHT TO MAKE ALL THINGS CERTAIN.
2. NO EVENT IS DIRECTLY EFFECTED OR CAUSED BY THE DECREE
THE DECREE MERELY ESTABLISHES WHAT WILL BE CAUSED, BUT THE DECREE ITSELF IS NOT THE CAUSE. THE CAUSE MAY BE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FREE WILL OF AN INDIVIDUAL.
3. THE CAUSE OF SOME EVENTS IS THE FREE WILL OF MAN; BUT THIS, ON THE OTHER HAND, DOES NOT MEAN THAT MAN’S WILL IS BEYOND GOD’S CONTROL (THAT MAN CAN CAUSE THINGS THAT ARE NOT IN THE DIVINE DECREES)
a. GOD HAS DECIDED IN ETERNITY PAST WHAT HUMAN BEINGS WOULD BE LIKE: WE WOULD BE RATIONAL CREATURES WITH FREE WILL. OUR SOULS WOULD HAVE SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS.
b. BECAUSE GOD CANNOT CONTRADICT HIS OWN NATURE, THE ESSENCE AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD NECESSITATED HIS WILLING THE HIGHEST AND BEST FOR MANKIND.
C. ELECTION, FOREKNOWLEDGE AND PREDESTINATION FLOW FROM THE DIVINE DECREES.
1. THESE TERMS DESCRIBE THE ACT OF THE INFINITE, ETERNAL OMNISCIENCE OF GOD WHICH DETERMINED THE CERTAIN FUTURITION OF EVENTS RELATED TO THE BELIEVER.
2. GOD’S DECREES NEVER ORIGINATE FROM HIS FOREKNOWLEDGE, ALTHOUGH ALL 3 EXIST SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE MIND OF GOD. THE SEPARATION IS LOGICAL, NOT CHRONOLOGICAL.
3. ELECTION IS THE PLAN OF GOD FOR BELIEVERS ONLY.
ELECTION IS GOD’S COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH HIS OWN FOREKNOWLEDGE, I PET. 1:2.
a. GOD KNEW AHEAD OF TIME WHO WOULD CHOOSE FREELY TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST
b. GOD DECREED THAT SUCH AN ACT OF FAITH WOULD ACTUALLY OCCUR.
c. GOD AGREED NOT ONLY THAT THEIR POSITIVE VOLITION TO CHRIST WOULD OCCUR AT A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME BUT ALSO THAT ALL THE BLESSINGS OF SALVATION PLUS CERTAIN UNIQUE BLESSINGS WOULD BE THEIR ETERNAL POSSESSIONS (EPH. 1:4; II THES. 2:13).
4. ELECTION IS DECLARED THROUGH GOD’S FOREKNOWLEDGE; ELECTION IS A FUNCTION OF PREDESTINATION. II TIM 1:9; EPH 1:5 (THE BELIEVER SHARES THE DESTINY OF CHRIST; WE ALSO SHARE IN THE ELECTION OF CHRIST (ISA. 41:2; I PET 2:6).
III. CHARACTERISTICS
A. DECREES INCLUDE ALL THE FACTS OF HISTORY
B. THERE IS ONE ALL-INCLUSIVE WILL AND PURPOSE OF GOD CONCERNING ALL THAT EVER WILL BE.
C. THE DECREES ORIGINATED ENTIRELY WITHIN HIMSELF.
D. THE DECREES ARE EFFICACIOUS–THE DIRECT WORK OF GOD–HIS WORK ALWAYS SUCCEEDS IN ITS INTENDED EFFECT.
E. THE DECREES GUARANTEE CERTAINTY.
F. THE DECREES ARE ALL-COMPREHENSIVE.
G. THE DECREES ARE ETERNAL.
H. THE DECREES WERE ALL DECREED SIMULTANEOUSLY.
I. THE DECREES ARE PERFECT.
J. GOD’S PERFECT PLAN INCLUDES ALL IMPERFECT PERSONS, BUT HE MAINTAINS HIS PERFECTION AND INTEGRITY THROUGH HIS POLICY OF GRACE.
K. THE DECREES OF GOD ARE UNCHANGEABLE AND CERTAIN.
UNCHANGEABLE–BECAUSE IT ONLY DEALS WITH REALITY.
CERTAIN–BECAUSE OMNISCIENCE ALWAYS KNEW THAT THESE THINGS WOULD OCCUR UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PARTICULAR MOMENT IN HISTORY.
L. THE DECREES ARE THE FREE CHOICE OF DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY.
M. GOD HAS DECREED ENDS AS WELL AS MEANS, CAUSES AS WELL AS EFFECTS, CONDITIONS AND INSTRUMENTALITIES AS WELL AS THE EVENTS WHICH DEPEND UPON THEM.
N. SOME THINGS GOD DECREED TO DO HIMSELF.
WE CALL THESE THINGS “IMMEDIATE” THINGS IN CONTRAST TO “MEDIATE” THINGS WHICH HE DECREED THAT SOME OTHER AGENCY, SUCH AS THE FREE WILL OF MAN, WOULD PERFORM.
E.G.=CREATION IS “IMMEDIATE”
O. GOD ACCOMPLISHES SOME THINGS THROUGH SECONDARY CAUSES ACTING UNDER THE LAW OF NECESSITY.
P. ALL EVENTS ARE EQUALLY CERTAIN TO OCCUR WHETHER PRIMARY OR SECONDARY CAUSES.
Q. WE MUST DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE DECREES OF GOD AND THE DESIRES OF GOD.
R. DISTINCTION MUST BE MADE BETWEEN THE DECREES OF GOD AND THE LAWS OF GOD (SET UP FOR HUMAN VOLITION)
IV. CONCURSUS VS ALL THINGS TO THE IMMEDIATE AGENCY OF GOD
A. ONE ADMITS AND THE OTHER DENIES THE REALITY AND EFFICIENCY OF SECOND CAUSES.
B. ONE MAKES NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN FREE AND NECESSARY EVENTS; THE OTHER ADMITS THE VALIDITY AND UNSPEAKABLE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DISTINCTION.
C. THE ONE ASSERTS AND THE OTHER DENIES THAT THE AGENCY OF GOD IS THE SAME IN SINFUL ACTS THAT IT IS IN GOOD ACTS.
D. ONE ADMITS THAT GOD IS THE AUTHOR OF SIN, THE OTHER REPUDIATES THAT.
E. FREE AGENCY MEANS:
1. WE HAVE POWER (NATURAL) TO ACT FREELY;
2. TO ACT FREELY IMPLIES WE ORIGINATE OUR OWN ACTS.
F. THIS IS NOT INCONSISTENT WITH OUR LIBERTY TO BE INDUCED TO EXERT OUR ABILITY TO ACT BY CONSIDERATIONS ADDRESSED TO OUR REASON OR INCLINATIONS.
1. GOD CAN HINDER AN ACTION;
2. GOD CAN DETERMINE AN ACTION.
G. RELATION OF PROVIDENCE TO FREEDOM:
1. GOD SOMETIMES ALLOWS MAN TO DO AS HE PLEASES — PUTS RESTRAINTS IN THE WAY.
2. GOD SOMETIMES KEEPS A MAN FROM DOING WHAT IN HIS FREEDOM HE WOULD OTHERWISE DO.
HE USES CIRCUMSTANCES, INFLUENCE OF FRIENDS, INNER RESTRAINTS TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSE.
3. GOD OVERRULES WHAT MAN DOES TO HIS OWN ENDS.
HE EVEN MAKES THE WRATH OF MAN TO PRAISE HIM.
H. E.G. = PRAYER
1. GOD DOES SOME THINGS ONLY IN ANSWER TO PRAYER.
2. GOD DOES SOME THINGS WITHOUT PRAYER.
3. GOD DOES SOME THINGS CONTRARY TO PRAYER.
It is God’s desire that we allow ourselves the liberty to see Him in all places and things in our lives. The good and the bad and all in between. It’s not that God is bad or even desire or allows the bad but that He is with us through it all. He is there to keep us, but we have to allow Him to do the things He see best for us. To restore us, to heal and deliver us, but He can only do these things if and when we allow Him. Free wil we want the right to chose, but when things aren’t right we want someone to blame, and normally its God.
In reality, it is too difficult to give thanks to God when bad things happened to people, is it right? If bad thing are not the will of God, then we have no reason to give thanks to God, is it right? So how can you convince me to do such things when I have no significant reason? Please make some valid answers to my questions. Thanks and God bless
I know I am reaching back to 2008 but God's word is eternal.
To pray that I truly understand the meaning of praise God in everything, we all must ask the Holy spirit to help us understand the deeper meaning of God's word.
We introduced evil into Mankind not God. If we had only followed God's will mankind could still be living in Eden.
We know that God is greater than evil. If we can just hold on during the storm, there is peace on the other side.
For there to be victory there must be struggle. We know how the struggle ends. God wins.
Too many times we start to question God when the enemy attack us. This is the time when we should praise God the loudest. We should understand that our name is victory and the outcome is already decided.
I wrote a book last year, "One Woman's Journey into Widowhood". This is the passage that gave me the ability to keep my eyes fixed on my Lord. "IN" everything. Not "FOR" everything. That to me means that though miserable, terrible, gut-wrenching things, happen to me, still above and beyond God is sovereign and with my eyes fixed on Him, He will see me through the nightmare of my life. He did. He has. He always will be right here with me and will never, ever, ever, ever leave me nor forsake me and yet, I have, I will and I can go through awful things here on the earth. He has been, He is, and He always will be sufficient for every one of my needs. I am speaking for myself only. Yes. IN everything give thanks." To God be the glory!!!!!!
Why don’t we just tear out of the bible thescriptures that does not fit inti our interpretation.there are many many things spoken hard to receive, nevertheless they are there
The last man i ever trusted died in the street because someone stabbed him. He was my youngest brother and he came from school at Samson Institute in Manila. It was August 1989. And up to now i am still wondering why it was happen. My worry is, does he ask forgiveness before he died. Please help me to understand this kind of situation! Thanks! GOD bless!
Jeane, your statement is unclear. However, if he trusted the cross of Christ to forgive his sin then he went to heaven.
I get confused when you said: Whatever comes in our lives comes in by the will of God. Is it God’s will when people get sick?? I understand when sorrows inflicted by human cause by death or physical injury. Because thats when free will comes. Someone said:”why we have to understand God who is less understandable than anybody”. So,I dont need to understand whats God is doing in my life. I need to trust him. That he is good and whatever he is doing, whether I like it or not I will like it eventually??
Thank you,
Lyn
Lyn, Yes, it is God’s will that sickness comes into our lives. You may want to look at my studies on Romans 8:28.
Mr Grant, first of all i want to take this stound to appreciate your exertion in trying to expound on this unfathomable text of scripture.
I have several questions to put across.
1. Is everything that happens to/in our lives initiated by the will of God?
2. if “YES” do we mean to say a young girl who is raped at the age of 10, got infected of HIV/AIDS, later diagnosed of cervical cancer and never get to conceive because her womb was disarranged during the rape. is that also the will of God?
3. according to what i am getting from this verse, i stand to be corrected, is that:
(a) when Joseph was being thrown into the pit by his own brothers, he should have exclaimed “Glory be to God, they have thrown me in a pit.
(b) when Joseph was falsely accused of rape, he should have shouted “thank you Lord….”
(c) when he was thrown in the prison, he should have done the same?
4. How do you explain to Jacob (Joseph’s father) that God is kinder, if he stays at home mourning for his son all along whom God knew that he was alive.
5. How do you explain the narration of Job verses the will God.
6. Last question but not the least amongst all. if we have a God who decides to do whatever He want, whenever He wants to humanity: DOES HUMANITY HAVE A WILL?
Dalmini, I cannot give you full answers to your questions because they are very extensive in implication.
1.Is everything that happens to/in our lives initiated by the will of God?
Everything is not “initiated” by the will of God but everything is permitted by His will. Out of honoring man’s will, God does not violate freedom of choice. You may want to go to my study on the doctrine of concursus: http://versebyversecommentary.com/articles/doctrine/concursus/gods-decree-and-free-will/
2. if “YES” do we mean to say a young girl who is raped at the age of 10, got infected of HIV/AIDS, later diagnosed of cervical cancer and never get to conceive because her womb was disarranged during the rape. is that also the will of God? No, it is not the will of God; it is the will of the rapist. However, God has a purpose for that girl.
3. according to what i am getting from this verse, i stand to be corrected, is that:
(a) when Joseph was being thrown into the pit by his own brothers, he should have exclaimed “Glory be to God, they have thrown me in a pit.
(b) when Joseph was falsely accused of rape, he should have shouted “thank you Lord….”
(c) when he was thrown in the prison, he should have done the same?
God’s plan for Joseph was to save people from starving and to take leadership in a great section of the world as Pharaoh’s key man (Ge 45:5; 50:20).
4. How do you explain to Jacob (Joseph’s father) that God is kinder, if he stays at home mourning for his son all along whom God knew that he was alive.
All situations in this life are not “kind” due to the fall of Adam and subsequent decisions to sin my mankind.
5. How do you explain the narration of Job verses the will God.
Job explains this himself at the end of the book. First Peter is the New Testament book that gives 12 reasons why Christians suffer. I suggest you read my introduction to the book and then read the studies.
6. Last question but not the least amongst all. if we have a God who decides to do whatever He want, whenever He wants to humanity: DOES HUMANITY HAVE A WILL?
This is explained in the doctrine of concursus presented earlier in answers to your questions.
Remember: “There is a difference in giving thanks “for” everything and “in” everything. If we gave thanks “for” everything that would mean that we give thanks for the Devil and his plan for the world!”
This is good content to seek God on understanding just in case we are confronted.