A Thankful Life

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving!

Many moms, grandmothers, and family members across the nation are currently in the kitchen preparing all of the fixings for tomorrow’s meals. Meanwhile, almost everyone else is looking forward to the great blessing of chowing down on their favorite traditional dishes, sides, and desserts alongside family and friends.

Yet, for some of us, this Thanksgiving Day will be filled with mixed emotions as we look back on what the past year has handed us.

There might be someone missing due to personal reasons, a favorite treat that won’t be at this year’s gathering because of a loss, or the absence of a little one crying in the room following a miscarriage. Or maybe this year hasn’t been as successful as previous years, and instead of enjoying turkey and dressing, there’s worry about how to provide the next meal, let alone a Thanksgiving feast.

I’m here to say that those feelings are very real and valid; these problems can make it hard to be thankful. After all, they are truly terrible and life-changing. How can we choose gratitude amid chaos?

However, dwelling on these things for too long can lead to doubts, worries, and insecurities. Meanwhile, the blessings (both big and small) we have received throughout the year are often overlooked and pushed aside if we choose to focus on these feelings.

We can take heart!

When these feelings arise, we each have the opportunity to redirect our thoughts and focus on the God who is able and willing to help when it is difficult to say “thank you.”

When it comes to seasons of hardship, the Bible is filled with prominent characters who, in their hurt, chose to praise the Savior rather than stay in their strife – and we can learn a lot from them.

One Bible character who is famously known for his share of bad luck, yet still chose to worship God, is none other than Job.

Job lived a pretty stable life. He had a wife, 10 children, cattle, everything that a man could really need. Most importantly, Job truly loved the Lord and wanted to follow His commands (even though those around him did not).

But his trust and faithfulness in the Lord didn’t keep bad things from happening to him; in fact, if it could have gone wrong, it went wrong. This includes the death of his children and livestock, the destruction of his property, and the loss of his health.

If there were ever a man on earth to complain about what he had lost, Job would have been that guy.

But no, instead of shaking his fist at God, he did exactly what he had always done – serve the Lord. In Job 1:21, after the death of all of his children, he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Regardless of what happened to him, he still chose to honor the Lord.

And I can’t help but wonder, how often do we make that choice?

Do we always follow through and choose to bless Him? Or are we quick to let inconveniences distract us from the primary goal of loving our Lord with all of our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37)?

When it came to Job’s life, even when his wife, a person I’m sure he trusted, was telling him that he should “curse God and die” (Job 2:9).

If we aren’t careful, we can also surround ourselves with people saying the same thing, albeit not as directly.

Have you ever told someone something irritating or troubling to you, and instead of godly advice, they told you to dwell on things opposite to what Scripture teaches?

Maybe it was poor marriage or parenting advice, perhaps it was words or actions to take against a friend who didn’t know they had wronged you. Or maybe it was listening to negative statements, which made it harder to move forward. Regardless of what was said, in those moments, did you choose to be like Job, or did you follow the poor advice given instead of doing what the Lord was asking of you?

When we lean into these conversations, may they be about a person, place, or thing, we are shifting our gaze and choosing to remain in the negativity instead of thanking Him for giving us our blessings.

Thankfully, if we cling tight to His truths and promises, we will have a much easier time practicing gratitude. Tomorrow is a day set aside for thanks, but our daily motive should be to thank Him for what He has given us. The question is, will we?

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

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