Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. —1 Thessalonians 5:18
The anointing is the power of the Holy Spirit
that enables me to do things with ease. It could be greater insight,
greater energy, greater joy, or greater blessing of any proportion; and
I want a greater anointing. One of the quickest routes to a greater
anointing is to show gratitude to God—in everything.
Thanking God for everything and thanking Him in everything are not
exactly the same thing. Not many people thank Him for everything. We
may end up doing that—when enough time rolls along that “all things
work together for good” (Rom. 8:28, KJV). Then we may thank Him for
things that were once evil and caused grief. But I do not counsel that
we must thank Him for everything at any given moment.
When I sin or fail, I do not say, “Thank You, Lord.” I cannot say
that I thank God for the events of September 11, 2001. It may well be
that all who read these lines live long enough to see God’s sovereign
hand in it all and find reasons to be thankful. But we are not required
to be thankful for everything—for being robbed, raped, lied about, or
being betrayed.
We therefore are not asked to be thankful for all these ordeals. But
it is another thing to give thanks in such adversities. And this we are
asked to do: “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will
for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18). Paul and Silas were in jail,
but they were praying and singing hymns to God. (See Acts 16:25.) No
matter what your present state, give Him thanks—in everything.
Excerpted from Just Say Thanks! (Charisma House, 2005).
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