Thanks to God

“In everything give thanks.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

One day in 1891, August Ludvig Storm began considering reasons to be thankful. Storm, who was born in Sweden on this day in 1862, knew it was easy to thank God for pleasant things, but he remembered that we should be thankful for everything.

In this spirit, Storm wrote a hymn called “Thanks to God,” in which he listed 24 things for which he was thankful.

He thanked God “for my Redeemer” and all He provided. He thanked Him that Jesus was by his side. He thanked Him for “pleasant, balmy springtime” and “for dark and dreary fall!” He thanked Him for tears and “for peace with my soul!”

Storm recognized that we should “in everything give thanks.” We ought to be thankful for prayers answered and requests denied. We should be thankful for storms and all He supplies. Storm thanked God both for pain and pleasure. He thanked Him “for comfort in despair,” for “grace that none can measure,” and “for love beyond compare.”

Instead of just thinking about “roses,” we need to be thankful “for thorns their stems contain.” We can be thankful “for heavenly peace” with God and hope for tomorrow and through all eternity! No matter what you’re facing, consider reasons to be thankful. Remember God’s promises. He has a plan for you. He is with you! Think about what He has done. Tell Him how thankful you are!

Reflection Question: What are you most thankful for today?