Paul’s Thanksgivings
November 23, 2023 | by: Dale Thiele | 0 Comments
Posted in: Pastoral Encouragement
The apostle Paul is well known for many things: his missionary journeys, his deep, theological writings, his martyrdom, and more. For this Thanksgiving, I want us to remember that Paul was an incredibly thankful man. It is Paul who gave us the command, “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thes. 5:18). Paul not only gave the command, but he lived it.
We have thirteen of Paul’s letters in the New Testament. In nine letters he opens with an expression of thanks, usually thanking God for the recipients of the letter. For example, he writes in Romans 1:8, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you.” Paul does not merely thank God for people, however. He follows up with reasons why he is thankful. He gives thanks for people because:
- Their faith is proclaimed in all the world (Rom. 1:8).
- The grace of God was given them (1 Cor. 1:4).
- He heard of their faith and love (Eph. 1:15, Col. 1:4, Philemon 4).
- Of their partnership in the gospel (Phil. 1:5).
- He remembers their work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope (1 Thes. 1:3).
- They received Paul’s preaching as the word of God (1 Thes. 2:13).
- Their faith is growing abundantly and their love is increasing (2 Thes. 1:3).
In a nutshell, Paul gives thanks to God for the work of God’s grace in the churches. They have vibrant and growing faith. Thank God! They actively love one another and all the saints. Thank God! They partner with Paul in the gospel ministry, even when he has been imprisoned. Thank God! They remain steadfast in hope, even in the face of hardships. Thank God! They received gospel preaching as the word of God. Thank God!
We can learn from Paul’s example. First, every good gift is from God. The people in our lives might be a blessing to us, but the blessing ultimately is from God. So, with Paul, we can give thanks to God for the people in our lives. Second, grace is the best gift. Grace is God’s unmerited favor that powerfully transforms rebellious sinners into beloved children. Grace overcomes our sin and the just condemnation due our sin. By God’s grace we have faith in Christ and love for others. Grace gives us hope for eternity. May we have eyes to see God’s grace blessing us and the people around us.
But, what about “in all circumstances”? Did Paul give thanks in all circumstances? Absolutely. Four of his letters, which he opens with thanksgiving, Paul wrote from prison: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. It is remarkable that a man who has been imprisoned for preaching the gospel (not to mention the beatings, floggings, shipwrecks, etc.) expresses thanks first in his letters. What do we normally do when things do not go as planned, or we face hardship? I know for myself that thanksgiving is not normally the first thing on my mind. Paul is a man who does not look “to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen” (2 Cor. 4:18). He keeps a spiritual and eternal perspective in mind in order to “give thanks in all circumstances.”
Another example from Paul comes from his journey to Rome in Acts 27. The ship he is on is caught in the midst of a terrible storm and is about to be wrecked on some rocks. In the midst of the storm, Paul prays for the lives of every person on the ship. And then he encourages them to eat, since they had not eaten for two weeks. We read then, “When he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat” (Acts 27:35). Paul was a prisoner. He was surrounded by Roman soldiers. They had been storm-tossed on the sea for two weeks. They were about to be shipwrecked. And Paul gives thanks.
What we learn from Paul’s thanksgivings is that we always have reasons to give thanks, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in. God’s grace is sufficient and abundant in all circumstances. God’s grace is not confounded by any circumstance. God’s grace gives us reason for joy and thanksgiving. May we have eyes to see God’s grace blessing us and the people around us.
