Thanksgiving? Be thankful? Let’s see... this year has been the worst I’ve experienced in the past twenty. I’m out of work living on unemployment which is about to run out and my wife’s job is now threatened. We’ve eaten through all of our savings. We can no longer afford to pay the COBRA premiums for health insurance. We’re behind in our mortgage and car payment and it will be 30 years before we pay off our maxed out credit cards. No Christmas gifts this year. Bankruptcy lurks at our door... we’re on the verge of losing everything. Now... what exactly should I be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day?
Does that sound familiar to you? Similar scenes of severe life challenges are being lived every day by millions of people here in America and around the world. The idea of being thankful in the face of such daunting challenges seems absurd. Feeling sorry for myself... self pity... that I can do. But being thankful for all the pain and sorrow... not so easy to do. I can’t even think like that right now!
But, that is exactly what we must do... be thankful even when life’s circumstances are harsh and unrelenting.
The Bible records many thoughts about being thankful in the midst of all manner of life circumstances...
"Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness." Psalm 107:8-9
"Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His praise?" Psalm 106:1-2
"I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving." Psalm 69:30
The Bible provides a record of many people thanking the Lord…
King Solomon expressed gratitude for Divine faithfulness and goodness - 1 Kings 8:14-21
Thanking God for food - Deuteronomy 8:10, John 6:11
King David thanked God after winning a battle - 2 Samuel 22:1-51, Psalm 98:1
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Phil. 4:6
"As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV)
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." Psalm 100:4
People were rebuked for not thanking God for their harvest... Jeremiah 5:24-25.
If people withheld their praise of God, He would have caused the stones cry out. Luke 19:37-40
Every day should be a day of Thanksgiving for Christians. Okay, maybe not with the turkey, stuffing, all the fixings and pumpkin pie, but every day should be a Thanksgiving Day as we acknowledge our Lord as the “giver all good things”. Things that are difficult, painful and sometimes bad... can be “good” when viewed from the Lord’s perspective.
We should be thankful in the midst of problems. The Apostle Paul said, "I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation" (2 Corinthians 7:4 NKJV). He knew that God was working in all things for his good, even though he was going through trials and difficult times (Romans 8:28). He knew God was there, available to comfort him.
Problems will come your way. But in the midst of difficulties, God will see to it personally that you grow as a Christian. If you let Him... if you have a thankful heart. He will use the storms of your life, to send your roots deep into the soil of His Word. We always pray more in the midst of our problems, and it's seems as if we see and understand more from our knees, than we ever do standing proud surrounded by our accomplishments, possessions and self-confidence. When those things are gone... what do we have left? Just God.
Here’s a wise old story that can help us better understand the troubles life brings and yet guide us towards thankfulness even in the midst of our challenges. A man once watched a butterfly struggling to get out of its cocoon. In an effort to help it, he took a razor blade, and carefully slit the edge of the cocoon. The butterfly escaped from its problem ... and immediately died. It is God's design to have the butterfly struggle to gain its freedom. It is the struggle that causes its tiny heart to beat fast, and sends life energizing blood into its wings. Without the struggle... it dies. The struggle makes the butterfly strong, able to endure life outside the safety of the cocoon.
Trials have their purpose even when we don’t see their value or understand how they could possibly benefit us. Problems in life that make us struggle—can bring us to our knees. They often envelop us in a cocoon-like grip that perplexes us. Why me? Why now? It is there in the grip of difficult times that trust and faith in God, helps us spread our wings of strength in the face of pain and sorrow. It is by our faith that we break free from the pain and sorrow of life’s challenges. By trust and faith we are enabled to stand firm and persevere.
Faith and thanksgiving are close allies. Allies in a common cause to rescue humanity from the pain and sorrow that sin has brought into this harsh world. If you have faith in God, you will be thankful because you know His loving hand is upon you, even though you feel as if you are in a pit of vipers... or maybe crocodiles. Thanksgiving will give you a deep sense of joy. Joy is the barometer of the depth of faith we have in God and His promises.
We have so much to be thankful for. Even when times look bleak and life seems to just get more difficult, we have much to be thankful for. We learn to live in our pit of vipers or crocodiles. We are drawn closer to God by relying on Him, trusting that He will not allow us to endure more than we can handle. In suffering we learn much about our internal strength... our capacities and endurance. Remember, there is always an end to pain and suffering.
If you are a follower of Christ, everyday is Thanksgiving. God has given us "exceedingly great and precious promises" that are "more to be desired than gold." Do yourself a big favor right now... today... believe those promises, trust in Him to care for you, and thank God continually, so He can "make your joy be full."
Have a thankful Thanksgiving Day with family and good food. Then, be joyful and thankful everyday of your life for the promises our Lord and Savior has given freely to each one of us. Trust in Him.
