“We give thanks to God always…” Such expressions of Godward gratitude adorn the New Testament letters of the apostle Paul. In fact, scholars have demonstrated that Paul’s writings employ the language of thankfulness more consistently and frequently than any other author of his day. Even when Paul faces manifold difficulties—imprisonment and beatings, opposition and danger, loneliness and lack—he continually exudes gratitude and calls fellow Christians to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thess. 5:18) and “be thankful” (Col. 3:15). Why is the apostle so doggedly grateful?
We customarily thank God for the food on our table (especially when it’s turkey and apple pie) and for other blessings like protection from calamity, preservation from illness, and provision for material needs. Do we exude gratitude when our health fails, our car breaks down, and our plans change? D. A. Carson writes, “By and large, our thanksgiving seems to be tied rather tightly to our material well-being and comfort. The unvarnished truth is that what we most frequently give thanks for betrays what we most highly value. If a large percentage of our thanksgiving is for material prosperity, it is because we value material prosperity proportionately.”[1]
Paul’s practice of persistent thankfulness reveals his profound God-centeredness. He grasps that everything comes from God, is sustained by God, and exists for God’s glory. And he is constantly noticing and celebrating ways that God is working in the world—especially in the lives of believers. The apostle is thankful for God himself, not just for his gifts.
Consider the short yet substantive prayer of thanksgiving in 2 Thessalonians 1:3–4:
We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.
Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
Paul here thanks God for three things. First, he gives thanks that the believers’ faith is growing leaps and bounds. They are not stagnating in their spiritual development but maturing in their knowledge of God, trust in God’s promises, and experience of his grace in their lives. Second, Paul thanks God for the church’s abounding love. They are not nursing grudges, tearing one another down, or trying to get ahead. Rather, they are demonstrating heartfelt love for one another as those who have truly experienced the lavish love of God our Savior. Third, he highlights their steadfastness through suffering. Paul is so encouraged by their example of faithful, joyful perseverance in times of trouble, which showcases the faithfulness and worthiness of their Savior.
As our nation marks a Thanksgiving holiday with family gatherings, turkey feasts, and football games, let’s follow Paul’s lead and cultivate deep gratitude to our God. Give thanks because God chose to save us through his Son Jesus Christ. Give thanks because God’s word is powerfully at work our lives and because it continues to run throughout our world. Give thanks because our heavenly Father hears our prayers and loves to give good gifts to his people. Give thanks because we have a sure inheritance with all the saints in light.
Brian Tabb, Ph.D.
President and Professor of Biblical Studies
[1] D. A. Carson, Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2014), 23.