“Give thanks to God no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. This is God’s will for all of you in Jesus the Anointed” (1 Thes. 5:17).

Have you ever wondered what God’s will is for your life? Unless you’re that one weird guy who still lives in his mom’s basement and never leaves the house, then you’d probably say yes. Even that weird guy would probably say yes.

What is God’s will for your life? I can’t tell you everything, but I can tell you one thing. God’s will for you is that you give thanks. Be grateful.

Give thanks in everything, as one translation puts it. Not FOR everything, because not everything in your life that happens to you is good. You don’t give thanks for getting fired or totaling your car, but you can still give thanks in those circumstances.

Give thanks for the little things, like waking up this morning. For the sun shining on your way to work. For you still having a job. For having a working vehicle.

One thing I’ve learned is it’s better to give thanks specifically. Don’t be like me at the end of the day and say something like, “God, thank you for everything You’ve done for me in the last 24 hours.”

God knows what He did, but when you remember what He did, it changes your perspective. As I’ve quoted before, “Gratitude makes what you have enough.” When you’re thankful, you forget about how much you don’t have and realize that you have everything you need.

I love what I heard recently. If you have God and everything else, you don’t have anymore than if you had God and nothing else. God is enough.

So give thanks. Right now, I’m giving thanks for my mentally disturbed feline who likes to curl up in my lap and rub her face against the corner of my iPad. I’m thankful for a roof over my head, a comfy chair, and for warmth on a very cold night.