In our time, we all live under pressure. We face fear about the future, fatigue from daily demands, and division that creeps into homes, workplaces, and even churches. Paul’s words to the Thessalonians come like fresh air: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers” (1 Thessalonians 1:2). When Paul wrote these words, the believers in Thessalonica were under great strain. Yet Paul begins with thanksgiving, not complaint. He chooses to look for God’s grace before he speaks about their troubles. Gratitude becomes his way of seeing.

This is a beautiful lesson for us. To thank God for one another is to fight the slow poison of cynicism that fills so much of modern life. When we give thanks, we remind ourselves that God’s Spirit is still at work in or

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