Life brings moments that test our patience, stretch our faith, and challenge our ability to love well. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul writes to the early church about how to live faithfully through every season. His words remind us that following Jesus is not a Sunday-only commitment. It is a 24/7 life that touches every thought, every response, and every relationship. As we remember this week of Thanksgiving at New Vision Church in Fayetteville GA, we are reminded that gratitude is not seasonal. It is a way of life for those who walk with Christ.
Living Out God’s Will in Real Life
Paul urges the church to admonish the unruly, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. Patience can feel like the hardest command of all. Many of us have felt so overwhelmed that we could almost pull our hair out. Yet God uses every season to teach us how to endure hardship like a good soldier and how to love like Jesus.
Being a follower of Jesus means more than church attendance, giving, or participating in our 10 minute meet-and-greet. Following Jesus affects how we talk, how we work, how we forgive, how we treat people, and how we handle pressure. When we walk with Him fully, He shapes every part of our lives.
Paul also writes, “See that no one repays another with evil for evil.” If we lived by this, the world would look very different. Instead of reacting out of anger or self-interest, we are called to seek what is good for one another and for all people. That is a high calling, and it stretches us. It is never easy to choose what is good for everyone, yet this is exactly the kind of life God desires for us.
What God’s Will Actually Looks Like
Many people ask what God’s will is for their lives. Paul answers clearly: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything. These instructions are not optional or separate from the earlier commands. God’s will includes patience, encouragement, discernment, humility, justice, mercy, and gratitude.
God’s will is not only found in the joyful verses we like to quote. It is found in the verses that challenge us to love better, think deeper, and walk faithfully.
“Do not quench the Spirit,” Paul says. We quench the Spirit when we refuse gratitude, stop praying, stop rejoicing, or ignore the Word. We quench the Spirit whenever we resist what God is leading us to do.
Instead, Paul calls us to examine everything carefully and hold firmly to what is good, while avoiding every form of evil. This requires spiritual discernment in every season. We are invited to ask God what this moment means, how we should respond, and what obedience looks like right now.
Give Thanks in Every Season
Because this is Thanksgiving week, Paul’s words offer powerful encouragement: give thanks in all things. Whatever your current season looks like, you can find a reason to give thanks. Even if you cannot see what God is doing, you can trust that He is at work.
Sometimes life feels like being placed in an oven. The heat is turned up, and we wonder how much longer we can stay there. Just like a cake being baked, God knows exactly when the work is complete. Bakers test a cake by placing a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out with batter, the cake needs more time. If it comes out clean, it is ready.
God does the same with us. He is meticulous. He looks for the image of Jesus in us. When something still needs refining, He allows a little more time in the oven so we can become fully baked. The result is sweetness. When God is shaping us through heat and pressure, He is making us sweeter, more loving, and more like Him.
So even if the heat feels high, give thanks. Thank God that He is not leaving you unfinished. Thank Him that the season you are in is shaping your character and deepening your faith. Thank Him that He is helping you love better and see Him more clearly.
There is always a reason for gratitude when God is at work.
Practical Applications for Your Daily Life
• Practice patience with the people around you, even when it stretches you.
• Ask God each morning how you can seek the good of all people, not just yourself.
• Build a rhythm of prayer throughout the day to stay connected to God’s presence.
• Look for small reasons to rejoice and give thanks, even in difficult seasons.
• Pay attention to the areas where God is refining you and trust His timing.
If you are searching for a place to grow in your faith or looking for a church near me in Fayetteville GA, we would love to welcome you. Join us for Sunday worship at New Vision Church. We meet every Sunday at 10 AM at 479 Inman Road. Come and discover how God can use every season of your life for His glory.