Giving Thanks

During the holidays, many of us focus on being thankful. Thanksgiving specifically is a day of rejoicing and giving thanks for all that we have. A day for focusing on each and every blessing we receive. We give thanks for family, friends, health, resources, jobs, gifts, talents, time, traditions, and memories (just to name a few blessings I am thankful for – you may have more of your own personal blessings to insert here). In this life, we find it rather easy to give thanks during the good times when we feel blessed, lucky, and fulfilled. However, for most of us, it is harder to give thanks for the struggles and the challenges that we face in life. However, it is usually in those dark times where we find strength we didn’t know we had. During the rough times – if we are willing to learn during these seasons – we can see the most growth within ourselves and within the relationships we have with others. After 41 Thanksgivings, I am able to give thanks not only for the positive experiences and positive things in my life such as my husband, children, family members, friends, job, home, faith… but I can also give thanks for the hardships in my life. For God has used the hardships and challenges that I have faced to grow me closer to Him. Yes, this even includes the hardships I have caused myself by making many mistakes in life. God has taken my broken and made it beautiful countless times and for that I am grateful.

I recently heard a story about a man at church, who after he lost his job and was out of work for several months, was able to praise God for traffic once he returned to work. This story was like a light bulb going off in my head. He was thankful for a job that he GOT to commute to and sit in traffic every day. I remember him saying how once he had a job again, he felt lucky to be able to sit in traffic so that he could get to work because he finally had a place to go. How often do we hear people complain about the things we HAVE to do every day instead of being grateful for the things we GET to do every day? I am definitely guilty of this. I complain I have to do things around the house, for my kids, for my husband, for my job as a teacher. What is wrong with me??? What if I didn’t have a husband, or children of my own, or a job, or a home? It’s crazy what I think I am grateful for and what I actually should be grateful for. Do they match up? Am I taking things for granted or am I showing gratitude?

I have no doubt that over the course of my next 41 years and beyond (God willing), the Lord will continue to use challenges and changes to transform me into the daughter only He could create me to be. Not every Thanksgiving, or holiday will be perfect. Most certainly every day will NOT be perfect. Not every person will feel like even giving thanks in day to day life. Maybe its because we do take so many blessings for granted or maybe its because we are in a season of thanklessness instead of thankfulness. If you are one of those people facing hardships, challenges, and maybe even loneliness, remember that everything in life is temporary. Nothing is permanent. Life will ebb and flow. Seasons will change. People in your life will come and go. Memories will be made and some may even begin to fade. But gratitude is a choice and God is able to make all things broken new and beautiful again.

Thank you, Lord, for the gifts of thanksgiving that you bestow on us not only during this holiday season but every single day. Even if those gifts come in the most unlikely packaging or even in the face of a burden. You make all things new again and for that I am eternally grateful. Please bless my brothers and sisters who are in a season of brokenness and please restore them so that they may be whole again. Please help me to present in my life. Help me to see all of the blessings I am grateful for instead of taking those blessings for granted. For this I give you all my Thanksgiving not only just during this season, but always.