This post was last updated on January 8, 2026

Day 246, Year 1

Giving Thanks to the Lord Jesus for All Things

“Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20 NKJV)

God’s humble people always praise Him. Heaven is the abode of those who show gratitude toward Him, whereas hell is where the devil and its minions, who repay kindness with resentment and good with evil, reside. And all of evil will be tortured forever. Nothing is more fitting than always thanking God through the Lord Jesus with a heart of gratitude before Him.

However, those who have carefully read today’s verse may disagree: How is it possible to give thanks to the Father God in the name of the Lord Jesus for all things? Indeed, it is easy to thank God when things are smooth and successful, but it is a bit strange to give thanks to God in times of setbacks, failures, or misfortunes. However, if Christians believe that God is sovereign and has a plan in everything, then thanking Him makes good sense. In fact, the reason why people find it difficult to thank God in times of difficulty is probably because they are influenced by the mentality of idol-worshiping in some folk religions, including Chinese Taoism, or others. The action of thanking gods only when things are going well reflects an idolatrous mindset. Conversely, the right mindset is to tell Jesus about all our failures or setbacks, to know what His will is in them, and to thank the Father God in advance for His imminent grace coming upon us.

When faced with setbacks, people often engage in a lot of thinking, introspection, and reflection, which can easily lead to positive change and renewal. In this respect alone, believers already have much to thank God for adversities. In my experience, when I first became a believer, it took me several years not only to deal with setbacks and failures in my life, but also to address various doubts in life and faith. Apart from seeking the Lord Jesus’ will, I also meditated continually on relevant scriptures and books in order to comprehend what happened in the past according to the Lord’s divine principles, seeking the illumination of the Holy Spirit, and to understand His unique will within. Hence, we should not force ourselves to thank God for everything. Instead, we should hold onto the areas where we find it difficult to thank God and continue to reflect, pray, and ask Him so as to understand His will. Once we gain an understanding of them, we can then express our genuine gratitude to God. Furthermore, the essence of thanking God is not just using words or in what kind of expression, but having a sincere heart of gratitude toward Him, along with corresponding actions.

Reflection questions:

1) Is it difficult for you to keep thinking and praying about certain issues that you cannot thank God wholeheartedly for? If you have this problem, how can you resolve it with God’s help?

2) Do you find it difficult to thank God after experiencing some setbacks or failures? Why?