Always…. (1 Thess. 5:15-18)

1 Thessalonians 5:15–18 ESV

15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I. Big Picture Framework

A. Interpretive Question

How do I live a peaceful and thankful Christian life?

B. Big Idea

To live a peaceful Christian life, I must always seek the good of others, rejoice continually, pray persistently, & give thanks in every circumstance.

When Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsie were taken to the Ravensbrück concentration camp, they found themselves in filthy, overcrowded barracks crawling with fleas. Corrie was frustrated, angry, and overwhelmed. And who wouldn’t be?

Yet in the middle of that suffering, Betsie opened a small Bible they had smuggled in and read these words: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Corrie said, “I can thank God for many things—but not for the fleas.” But Betsie insisted, “Corrie, we must thank Him for everything.” So they did.

Later they discovered that the guards refused to enter that infested barracks—because of those very fleas. And because of that, the women could pray, read Scripture, and worship without interruption. God used the very thing they hated to open the door to ministry.

Sometimes the thing that irritates us the most is the very thing God is working through. Paul knew this when he wrote 1 Thessalonians 5:15–18—rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. Even when life looks like a room full of fleas.

II. Introduction

A. Introductory Hook

“If you keep ignoring the call to give thanks, your frustration and resentment will only fester and grow.”

B. Opening Line

“Rejoicing is not about our circumstances; it’s about our connection to Christ.”

C. Transition In

Feeling overwhelmed by life’s demands? Paul had a response for that in 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18, where he invites us to embrace a rhythm of continual goodness, joy, prayer, and gratitude.

III. Observation and Extraction From the Text

A. Overarching Concept

Each verse carries the concept of always doing some action.

B. Verse-by-Verse Breakdown

We get the beginning teaching with how we are to be to one another. We do not repay evil for evil. Simply stated, if you feel wronged by another and maybe they did wrong you, treating them with contempt rather than brotherly love is repaying them evil for an evil.

Why is this so important in our lives together as believers? Because as Jesus taught, John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We are to be known in the world by our love for one another, not our separations, cliques, disdain for another, but our love. We should be known as the people of love and compassion for each other. Why? Because we know what grace is, or we should.

Christ saved us from the dumpster of the world and sin we were in. We know what it means to be brought from the dregs to life. We should be able to show love and compassion for one another and even for those outside the church.

But here is the catch, “IF WE CAN’T LOVE ONE ANOTHER IN THE CHURCH, WE CAN’T LOVE THOSE OUTSIDE.”

The beauty of the rest of this text is Paul tells us how to do this in our lives together.

i. Verse 15 — Always seek to do good

Always seek to do good to all people, even those who wrong us.

“Always seek to do good to all people”

Why it’s powerful:

This directive challenges us to love actively, even when it’s inconvenient or when others hurt us, leaving no room for excuses in our interactions.

This command flips the script on our natural responses to hardship, pushing us to find joy rooted in our relationship with Christ rather than in our circumstances.

“Even those who wrong us.”

Why this is even more powerful:

We can easily justify being kind or seeking the good only of all who we approve rather than those who wrong us also.

This directive makes us see others as Jesus saw and sees them. We know we are to love all regardless of the way they treat us or act toward us.

Bottom Line

Always chase goodness, even when it’s hard.

ii. Verse 16 — Always rejoice

What is joy? It is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness, according to one dictionary. Rejoice is defined as showing great joy. The biblical word rejoice carries the meaning of “being in a state of happiness and well-being, glad.”

What these all mean then is that when we rejoice always we have an inward joy in Christ despite circumstances. We live in a state of joy becasue we have Christ. When we have Christ as ours, then we can be good to all people, even those who wrong, hurt, offend, degrade, or whatever us because we have Joy in us.

We have joy because we have the one who makes us to be joyous. Jesus has given us everything, what do we have to not be joyous about?

Think about Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

The good here is the Good God has because God’s plans are Good. Since His plans are good, then ultimately regardless what you are going through now, His Good plan is being worked and ultimately what is God’s good is our good because His good is perfect while ours may be a little tainted.

We can always rejoice regardless what is going on because we have the Good and glorious savior as ours and God’s good working out around us.

But we can’t do either, be good to all and rejoice always without always praying.

iii. Verse 17 — Always pray

Simply stated this means that we are in a constant and continual communion with God. We go to Him all day everyday for everything. We do not move in life without being in communication with the Lord.

Another way of looking at this is that “a failure to pray is a plan to fail.”

If we are going to be good to all people and have joy always, we must be in prayer with the one who can calm our hearts, settle our minds, and restore the loss we may incur from how others treat us.

Yes, the Lord can fill the void of the loss others deliver to you. Psalm 147:3 tells us this when it says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

That Psalm is in the context of praise to God for all He does. Praise to God is communion to God. When we stay connected to Him, we can rejoice always and always seek to do good to others because when we are connected to Him, He gives us the power to do these things.

Are you connecting regularly throughout the day with the Lord? Do you sing His praises more than you request things? Do you lift up others to Him in a genuine desire to see their good? How is your prayer life?

We need to have a committed and solid prayer life before we can ever do anything, and before we can ever truly be thankful.

iv. Verse 18 — Always give Thanks

In all circumstances: Spirit-led life of praise and trust. We only have this Spirit-led life of praise when we are connected well to the one who fills us.

Staying in contact with the Lord in Prayer is the ultimate way to do good to all people, rejoice always, and give thanks for everything.

When we live this way, we will not be bitter, but better.

We will not be angry, but amplified.

We will not be scorned, but settled.

We will not be pestered, but peaceful.

We will be filled with Thanksgiving because we are filled by the Lord of joy and peace and living a life filled with love over hate. Let us always live like this over the other ways because the Lord is worth it all, and you will have more joy and peace in life when you do.

So what can I do to begin to do these things?

IV. Application

A. Main To-Do

Set aside some time each morning to write down at least one thing you are grateful for and reflect on any challenges you’re facing. And send these to the Lord in prayer and leave them there. Don’t keep checking in and wondering if God is working: He is.

B. Why It Matters

By adopting a daily practice of gratitude and prayer, you not only invite peace into your life but also create a ripple effect—your joy can uplift those around you, cultivating an environment where everyone feels valued and appreciated.

And they will be valued and appreciated because you are living off of the power of the Lord in you through your constant connection to Him in prayer. You will genuinelt be happy and filled with joy regardless what is going on and you will spread this to others and man what a difference that will make.

V. Transition Out

In giving thanks during tough times, where can you find gratitude in your life right now, and how will that shape your conversations this week?

Missionary Henry Richards once told of a man who appeared at his door after walking for three days on one leg with a handmade crutch. Richards had helped him recover from a severe infection months earlier, and the man had come—not for more medicine, not for help—but simply to say, “Thank you.” Three days. One leg. Across rough African terrain. And his whole purpose was gratitude.

Church, if a man with one leg can travel for days just to express a thankful heart, then surely we can choose gratitude in our own circumstances. Not because everything is easy, and not because life always feels good—but because God is good, and He is always faithful.

Yet gratitude alone isn’t the end—God uses it to shape what’s happening inside us.

After we think about that one-legged man who walked three days just to say “thank you,” it forces us to look inward and ask another question of the heart: What comes out of me when I’m under pressure?

When squeezed, what comes out is whatever is already inside. We all recognize this truth. If you squeeze an orange, you don’t get apple juice. If you squeeze a lemon, you don’t get lime juice. Whatever is inside will come out. And the question we have to ask ourselves is this: “When I am squeezed—when I am pressed, frustrated, overwhelmed—what will come out of me? Jesus… or something else?”

Paul helps us with that. In these verses he tells us to care for the hurting, pursue good even toward those who wrong us, rejoice in the Lord, pray continually, and give thanks in every single circumstance. Why? Because these practices reshape what lives inside us. They replace bitterness with joy, pride with prayer, and resentment with gratitude. And when that happens—when these things live inside of us—then when we are squeezed, Jesus comes out instead of wickedness.

So today, when you face trials, when anger rises, when circumstances press hard against your heart, remember whose you are. You belong to Christ. His Spirit is in you. That means you have His power to respond with peace instead of rage, grace instead of retaliation, and love instead of hate. Rejoice that the Lord has allowed you to walk through this moment. Thank the Spirit who helps you act like Christ. Remember: He has you here for this purpose, in this moment, to show Jesus. Rejoice and give thanks that you can glorify Christ today—even in the squeeze.

VI. Closing Line

We began today with the warning that ignoring gratitude leads to frustration. Let’s end with this invitation: embrace a daily rhythm of thankfulness. In rejoicing, in praying, in giving thanks—you will find the peace your heart has been longing for.