Thanksgiving – More than Just a Holiday

22. Nov, 2011 0 Comments

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I’m glad a special day was established to thank God for his blessings. We are a blessed people. God’s goodness and grace is poured out daily for our benefit. He is worthy of our appreciation on Thanksgiving and all 364 days of the year.

All to often the days between last Thanksgiving and the next hold far to few thankful moments. Rigorous days leave us exhausted and simply trying to catch our breath. The tension filled relationships marred by hurtful words leave us frustrated and emotionally spent. These and other pressures saturate our thoughts leaving little room to be grateful.

It’s natural to focus on pain or disappointments and feel it’s not fair. Who doesn’t want to leave behind pain and enjoy life to its fullest? But what if experiencing life to its fullest required enduring hardship? What if hardship helps expose blessings? I am not suggesting that hardship should be sought after. Pain finds us quickly enough without pursing it. I am suggesting that going through difficulties can cast light on the blessings all around us and expose how much we have to be thankful for regardless of our present difficulties.

What if we resisted the thoughts of how unfair life is and instead thanked God in spite of the pain. What if in the middle of the hardship we were to consider the blessings we enjoy? To do this requires a heart that is willing to trust God regardless of circumstances. When we place our hope in God we come to peace with our circumstances and find contentment. Placing our hope in wishing away the hardship leads to disappointment and possibly even resentment.

A grateful heart see’s a God of love who cares and is working all things for our good (1Peter 5:7, Romans 8:28). A thankful heart trusts God and finds contentment. When we have contentment, we can more clearly see the blessings in the midst of the hardship. We recognize God’s gifts of grace and we are drawn to be thankful.