1 Chronicles 16:34
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
As we are about to set our tables trimmed with all the fare of a Thanksgiving Day meal, how often do we really take time and thank the Lord for all He has done in our lives over the past year?
Did you have to go through times of suffering, financial hardships, or family and friend relationship issues? It's not too difficult to comprehend by the way things have gone over the past couple of years. But did you ever stop to give thanks to God for allowing you to go through those storms. Did you ever thank Him for helping you and leading you through those times of hardships and sufferings?
It seem almost counter-intuitive to give thanks when hard times befall us. But, if you really stop and think about it, it is actually the right and good thing to do. God is not some misery miser who puts you through pain and agony, or distress just for the fun in it. He does not take joy in the moments of you anguish, but He knows what good will come from it, if you stay the course and true to Him in faith.
For almost two decades of seeing the suffering my wife has gone through with chronic, unrelenting pain, it was, at times, extremely hard for me to pause and give thanks to God. I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do, but I was so upset seeing no comfort or relief come to her, that I got mad at God and hardly thanked Him at all.
But I don't think God ever got mad at me. He knew what was going on was intended to bring my wife and me closer to Him, because of His steadfast love that endures forever. Once I got that through my thick numbskull brain, I had a greater appreciation for all those sleepless nights and painful days, and was able to find it my heart to thank God for all of it regardless.
I also had to remind myself that God suffered too. He suffered by seeing His only Son, Jesus of Nazareth, die a vicious death in order to take the sins of the world on His shoulders so we would be saved from His wrath and eternal judgment. If that's not worthy of thanks, then we have gravely missed the whole point of giving thanks.
Whether we come into good times or bad, we must remember that we are alive by the grace and goodness of God, because of His everlasting love for you and me. It is hard to understand at times, I know. But it is so crucial for us to stop and give thanks to God - regardless of anything we might go through or have gone through. Give thanks to God for sending His Son to take in our sins that deserved our condemnation and punishment.
I would suggest that we all take a moment and thank the Lord when we gather this Thanksgiving Day. It can be as simple as just saying, "Thank You Lord"
Have a blessed Thanksgiving Day and remember to give thanks to the Lord!
In Christ,
Pastor Tom
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