1 Thessalonians 5:18

“in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward”

“In everything give thanks”: Yes even be grateful for the hard times (Romans 5:3). “Bless the Lord,. my soul, and forget none of His benefits” (Psalms 103:2). Barclay notes, “We must always remember that if we face the sun the shadows will fall behind us, but if we turn our backs on the sun all the shadows will be in front” (p. 240). Even if terrible things happen, we need to be thankful that God was faithful, it could have been worse (1 Corinthians 10:13). God exists, therefore something beneficial can be gained (James 1:2), that is, suffering for the faithful Christian is never meaningless or pointless. We have been delivered from eternal suffering! Unfortunately, many people need almost ideal circumstances to be thankful or happy. What. miserable existence! The word "thankful" should always remind the Christian that the world does not "owe" us anything. We are the debtors (Romans 1:14). No circumstances, should ever move the Christian into thinking that God is now indebted to them, that is, that God owes them (Luke 17:10).

“For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward”: This is the response to those who might say to themselves, “But. don't feel like being grateful to God right now”. God wants His people to be thankful and joyful. The Bible was not written to make our lives miserable, rather God wants us saved and happy.