Giving Thanks for Even the Smallest Things
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
We have so much to be thankful for that it’s often hard to know where to begin praising our heavenly Father. We all have stories of God coming through in major crises, yet we easily overlook the countless small, daily blessings that deserve to be noticed and mentioned in our prayers.
In her book The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom shares a remarkable story from the Ravensbrück concentration camp, where she and her sister Betsie lived in flea-infested barracks.
One day, Betsie insisted they give thanks for the fleas, quoting 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In every thing give thanks.” Corrie thought her sister had lost her mind and couldn’t imagine thanking God for such misery. Unknown to them, the guards avoided their barracks precisely because of the fleas, giving the sisters freedom to hold secret Bible studies without interruption.
Because of those despised fleas, many women heard the gospel and came to faith. God had used even the fleas to accomplish His purposes. This story reminds us that if Scripture said “in some things give thanks,” it would be easy, but it commands thanks “in every thing.”
We’re naturally quick to thank God for obvious blessings and treat gratitude like a polite transaction, yet the flea-infested barracks call us to a far deeper, all-encompassing gratitude that sees God’s hidden hand even in what we’re tempted to curse.
God in Heaven, thank You for caring about us so much. Your wisdom is limitless, and your love knows no bounds. You care for every part of us, and You set us on our path to peace as we glorify You. Help us to remember to give thanks for the little things along with the small things, and to find Your purpose in every circumstance. We are blessed in so many ways, humble us and give us the wisdom to recognize them. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN!
