How to Give God Thanks in Everything

Give Thanks in Your Sin

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

In everything gives thanks. Have you ever given God thanks in your sin? God’s Word clearly says to give thanks in everything. Everything includes sin ladies and gentlemen. Sin is in this world. It is very available. You were born a sinner. Because of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, the human race is born into sin, knowing good and evil. King David was well aware of his sinful nature at birth. In Psalm 51:5 he says, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” We are born with sin. We can try to avoid it. We can walk in God’s ways to eliminate some of it. But none of us is sinless. Sin is a part of life on earth. Even King David, “a man after God’s heart”, faced sin in his life. The greatest king of Israel, ancestor of Jesus Christ, had sin in his life. David managed to give thanks in his sin. I am going to show you how he did this, so you can also give thanks in everything, including your sin! It may be a tall order, but God is my author, and I trust him completely.

David was the second king of Israel after King Saul. He was anointed king of Israel by Israel’s judge Samuel while David was young, and King Saul was still on the throne. You may remember David killed the giant Goliath with only a sling and a stone by the hand of God. This victory over the Philistines gave him high rank in Saul’s army. However as David gained fame for his victories in war, Saul became jealous of him. This eventually led to Saul continuously chasing David in an effort to kill him. David was finally publicly anointed king over all of Israel after years of war and fleeing from his enemies.

We think of David’s love for God often, considering the many good things he did. David defeated many enemies for Israel, he brought the Ark of God to Jerusalem, and he wrote many songs to the Lord. David is described by God as “a man after my own heart” in Acts 13:22. Was David perfect? No. David, a man after God’s heart, sinned. King David sinned by knowingly sleeping with a married woman, Bathsheba. She became pregnant with David’s son, and he proceeded to carry out more sin. David tried to cover up his sin by ordering Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, to return from war (in hopes he would sleep with his wife.) When this failed due to Uriah’s respect for his fellow soldiers, David had him killed. David arranged to put Uriah on the front line of battle so that he would die. Uriah was killed, and David married Bathsheba. She gave him a son. So there you have it, David definitely sinned. Look at the end of this story for an interesting verse.

2 Samuel 11:27 (NKJV)
And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Keep this in your mind as we continue: It was the thing that David has done that displeased God. It was not David that displeased God. Were there consequences of these sins? You better believe it. However in this Old Testament story of sin you will find God’s forgiveness and a man’s complete acceptance of it. This is where “giving thanks in sin” arrives. Our lesson comes from David’s sin and his forgiveness. The consequences of David’s sin did come. As Nathan predicted by the words of God, David’s son dies and calamity fell on his household. Nathan also spoke the word of the Lord and said, “The LORD has taken away your sin” in 2 Samuel 12:13 NIV.

Did you know that God has taken away your sin also? Jesus took care of that. If you sin, God will take it away from you. Will possible consequences of your sin come? I am afraid so. But the good news, the great news, is your sin is taken away. Now that is something to give thanks for. Let’s take a look at how David fully received God’s forgiveness and gave God thanks in his sin. Psalm 51 is written by David, describing his sin.

Psalm 51:1-5
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

I highly recommend that you read all of Psalm 51 to get a taste of David’s heartfelt repentance. In reading Psalm 51 there is no denying that David openly repented of his sin. David speaks of his transgressions, his sin, his evil, his iniquity and his bloodguilt. David knows he sinned. It is over and finished but I think David is still “in” his sin in Psalm 51. I say David is “in” his sin not because he is still committing the act but because it is still with his heart and emotions. His sin is causing him sorrow and pain. Psalm 51:3 says, “My sin is always before me.” David is constantly thinking of his sin. In Psalm 51:14 David says, “Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed,.” The murder has been done. David asked to be saved from it. The act of sin is complete, but I say that sin is still with him. I call this still “in” sin. In everything give thanks, God commands us. Here “in” sin David gives thanks to God. Watch this.

This is what King David has to say about God while facing his sin:

· God has mercy.
· God has unfailing love.
· God has great compassion.
· God teaches me wisdom in a secret place.
· God cleanses me from my sin.
· God washes me.
· God blots out all my iniquity.
· God creates in me a pure heart.
· God renews a steadfast spirit within me.
· God restores to me the joy of salvation.
· God grants me a willing spirit, to sustain me
· God opens my lips to declare praise

If you are “in” sin - that is still facing its guilt, condemnation or suffering – it is time to give thanks. Use words from David’s Psalm 51. I will help you. I could use it myself. I sin. I feel the sorrow of it. I cry to God for mercy and forgiveness, but that doesn’t mean it is no longer with me. So let’s learn together how to give thanks in sin. Repent and learn to thank God.

From Psalm 51:

Dear Father God, God of King David, God of these and me,

We have sinned Lord. Have mercy on us. Forgive us of our sins by the stripes of Jesus as we forgive those who sin against us. From the words of David grant us his prayer, “Blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” Father even with this sin before us we thank you for your unfailing love and great compassion. Thank you that you cleanse me and I will be clean. You Father can create in me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. You will restore me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. My tongue will sing of your righteousness. I give thanks to you Father even though I have sinned against you. I will not let sin stop me from giving thanks.

In Jesus name,
Amen

For the next several days ladies, choose a verse from Psalm 51 that touches your heart, and meditate on it. I have attached a copy of Psalm 51 in the New International Version if needed. Go ahead read it now and choose your verse. There are so many great ones. If nothing else we can learn how to repent to God. I love this Psalm that shows David’s true emotions from his sin. Even this great king could sin and feel sorrow over it. However David knew his God, and he gave him thanks.

Next week look forward to learning more about how David was able to accept God’s forgiveness in a big way. It is an amazing story.