A Life of Thanks-GivingSample

In or For?

Today we deal with one of the greatest misconceptions that affects well-meaning Christians.

When we read this well-known passage, we tend to read "give thanks for all circumstances" instead of "give thanks in all circumstances."

This is simply wrong: 

• The Greek preposition the Paul uses is "ἐν". It is a very common preposition and its most common (by far) interpretation is "in". It is the same preposition that Paul uses when he talks about being "in Christ" which is used in the same sentence.  Surely if we translate ἐν as "for" then the sentence should read "give thanks for all circumstances, for this is God's will for you for Christ Jesus..." This clearly is incorrect. We "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus..."
• Thanking God for pain would create a crisis of sincerity. How can I honestly thank God for something horrible that happens to me or one of my loved ones? Those who advocate this view argue that we are grateful because we believe that God will transform our pain. I would agree with that wholeheartedly - but then I am thanking God for the transformation of our pain and not for the pain itself. 
• But the most important reason for saying that the idea of thanking God for all things is wrong is a theological one: God is not the author of our pain. James makes it clear when he reminds his congregation that God doesn't tempt anyone, but that we are tempted by a broken world and by our own broken sinful nature. He goes on to say: Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above..." (Ja 1:16-17) In the same way, brokenness is the result of our sin and brokenness - it does not come from God. God allows pain and hurt in our lives, but He is not the author; even when He allows it, He has a plan.

So how do we give thanks in all circumstances? 

• We recognise the blessings we have in spite of our pain. Sometimes we have to do as the old song says: "count our blessings - count them one by one."
• We recognise that God brings good out of our pain. "For God works in all things for the good of those who love Him." (Rom 8:28)
• We think of the times that God has carried us through trouble in the past and we thank Him and trust Him to help us again.
• We thank God for instances of beauty that we experience in the midst of our trouble. The presence of beauty in the midst of pain is the God's signpost of hope and love.
• We thank God for the people who walk with us and hold up our arms.
• We thank God that nothing can separate us from His love: "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 8:37-39)