As we think over these next few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving about being grateful for Jesus, the Apostle Paul shares at the end of 1st Thessalonians where he says rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. These are not suggestions. There's not an exemption clause that when life gets hard then we don't have to do these kinds of things anymore. They are laid out for us as commands. We are to be people who rejoice. We are to be people of prayer. We are to be people that in everything we are called to give thanks. The challenge is for us in everything (that's a pretty inclusive statement) we are to be grateful.