Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I think this holiday is awesome. Amazing food. Time together with family. A break from work. And best of all, a moment of reflection when we look up to our Creator and say thank you to the Giver of all good gifts.
A while ago, I read a book about a lady who started listing 1000 blessings, basically a thanksgiving journal. This process became a habit that transformed her attitude and life. Awesome. Can I just go on the record and say that I think giving thanks is great? Because what comes next is going to rub some of you the wrong way.
I often hear people in Christiandom giving thanks for horrible things, or teaching that that's what true, deep, mature Christians do. "You need to get to the point where you can honestly thank God for your infertility." I'm not convinced...it seems terrribly masochistic. Also, I don't see people in the Bible doing it. I mean, where does Job say, "Thanks, Lord, for allowing my family, wealth and health disintegrate"? Did I miss the part where Ruth says, "I bless you, Lord, for the blessing of losing my husband, country, and financial security."? Surely super-missionary Paul simply neglected to mention his songs of thanksgiving at being rejected, persecuted, imprisoned, and beaten. (Ok, I know- he did sing in prison. I don't think the song probably went, "Thank you for the hard hearts and broken bones.")
Yet we today are supposed to slap a smile on and post "blessed" updates, no matter what trials we're going through. Even if you just lost your child. When the doctors can't find the reason for your constant, debilitating pain. If your marriage is crumbing around you. When you are so lonely and depressed that you can't see a way out. When you see one line on that pregnancy test instead of two, again. I don't think God is expecting a thank you for those trials. I think He is as broken-hearted as you are. He is our Comforter and Healer. He walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death.
In my darkest days, I took comfort from the fact that pretty much all God required of Job was that He not deny Him. Honestly, that was about all I could do. So, if this Thanksgiving you are having trouble thanking God for what He's allowing in your life right now, it's okay. He meets us where we are. Find something good that you can honestly thank Him for. Having trouble? God is still good. And Heaven is forever. And cling to Him through the gunk.
Bethany! This is beautiful and so, so true. I don't know how I missed reading this when you posted it. Thank you for these words of grace and reassurance, not only on Thanksgiving, but even as we head into the Christmas season with so much pressure to put a happy face on everything we do no matter how much we may be hurting on the inside.
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