Thanksgiving

Reflecting on this past year, I see God in many aspects of my life. There have been highs and lows, but God has been with me, sustaining, instructing, and loving me through it all. My son graduated from college and was blessed with a job he did not have the qualifications for. Nonetheless, God gave him this job, and he is thriving. My oldest daughter excels in her career, and my youngest is tackling her second year of college with vigor, determination, and a great sense of humor. I praise God for being so good to my family and abundantly blessing us. My intent is not to sound prideful but to give God all the glory and honor he is due for his goodness.

It can be challenging to see the good that is happening. At times, it seems, blessings are few and far between. I was driving recently and looked up at the sky. It was a dull, dreary day. Gray clouds covered the sky, and a general sense of gloom prevailed. As I sat at the traffic light and looked to the left, the clouds parted slightly, and a little glimmer of bright blue sky peeked out from all the dark, heavy clouds. This realization brightened my day. I felt it was like God was saying, yes, it is overcast and dark, but don’t forget, the light continues to shine above the darkness. I had a little pep to my step for the rest of the day, and instead of letting annoyances and distractions get to me, I stopped and envisioned the strip of blue sky. I have thought about the day from time to time as circumstances seem overwhelming and life is hard and dark. I stop and focus on God and know that his light, goodness, and mercy continue despite the challenging day.

Psalm 100 states, “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name, for the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.”

This psalm lists so many reasons to be thankful to God. We can indeed worship the Lord with gladness. As I read this psalm, verse 3 stood out to me. God made us, and we are his. We are his people. Imagine the God of the universe calling us his people. There is something special about belonging to a family. An identity that sets us apart from others. God is our heavenly Father and looks out for us like any good parent. He is patiently waiting to call his children home, to eternally dwell with him in the place he has prepared for us. I eagerly anticipate having all my kids home in a few days. I am preparing their rooms and getting the food to make their favorite dishes. Imagine what God is preparing for his children! If I stop and think about the Almighty God who loves me, I will naturally turn to thank him for his goodness and unfailing love that continues forever. This God that I serve is faithful to each generation. Thank God he is not constrained by time and space and never changes. The God of the Bible is the same God we serve today. Praise Him!!

I realize some days and years are more challenging to give God praise and thanks. It goes against our human nature to be thankful for difficulties. Sometimes, we fall into the trap of thinking this can’t be of God because I am suffering. I get discouraged and down in spirit, and it is difficult to see the “blue sky” some days. I have learned this year that the bright light of Jesus is always there, no matter how I feel. My feelings are not an accurate indicator of what is going on. I may be tired, hungry, angry, or in a bad mood. My human feelings never override the truth of God’s character. A few characteristics to consider are that God is eternal, sovereign, immutable, holy, wise, faithful, loving, good, and omnipotent. Hebrews 6:18 states: “So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.” Since the Bible clearly states that God cannot lie to us, we can confidently trust him in every situation.

Life can be difficult and stressful, but we should praise God in all circumstances. A portion of Paul’s final advice to the church at Thessalonica was “always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). I had a fantastic model of this type of living. My Father is a retired minister, and my mother faithfully served as an inspiring pastor’s wife. They never had large churches. My Father often worked odd jobs (he was very handy), and my mother took a job at the school to make ends meet. Growing up, my siblings and I went to work when we were in our early teens so we could have our own spending money. There were not a lot of “extras” for us. Living like this as a young person was difficult. After all, we live in a materialistic world. As an adult, I look back and see God working in our lives. We have always had enough and learned to depend on God, not ourselves. My Father is 87 now and in declining health. I spent the weekend with him not too long ago, and he told me, “I have had a wonderful life. No complaints”. Knowing what I know about how hard things were for my parents, I am amazed and inspired that he sees all the pieces and praises God for a beautiful life.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, I want to remember a few verses from Psalm 66:5-12, 16-20

Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind! He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot-come, let us rejoice in him. He rules forever by his power; his eyes watch the nations—let not the rebellious rise up against him. Praise our God, all peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. For you, God tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened, but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!

I pray you join me in praising Almighty God for his love and goodness. Look for the patches of blue sky when you need encouragement. The light is always shining above the darkness. God will make a way for it to be made known.

Happy Thanksgiving!