Nov
29
Giving Thanks Through the Tough Times
“We remind ourselves that everything we have is a gift from God to be used for God, and that our hope is not found in the things of this world but in Christ alone.” — Jonathan Noyes, Stand to Reason
Yes, this is a post-Thanksgiving thanksgiving post. You’re welcome.
I was listening to Greg Koukl’s STR podcast, “Why Give Thanks This Year?”, from earlier this week. In it he read an article by Alan Shlemon, another member of the STR team. Good stuff, as usual. So, for those of you who may not listen to the show or just haven’t gotten around to it, yet, here is a sample:
“This year has been a disaster. What is there to be thankful for?
The Pilgrims didn’t have it much better. It was exactly 400 years ago that they set sail for America in search of a better life, but they began their journey by enduring a 65-day nightmare on the stormy sea. They landed in Plymouth only to face the next ordeal: a brutal New England winter. Of the 102 men, women, and children, half of all the Pilgrims died from exposure, famine, and sickness.
The Pilgrims’ first year in America was a disaster. What was there to be thankful for?
When times are tough, it’s tempting to downplay giving thanks. It seems to us there’s less to be thankful for, after all. But that attitude presumes our gratitude is dependent on how we feel about what we’ve been given. That is neither biblical nor healthy.
Gratitude isn’t an emotion that’s dependent on how much we’re enjoying our immediate circumstances. It’s a virtue we should cultivate based on the truth that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Rom. 8:28). No matter how bad 2020 gets, we should give thanks for at least three reasons….”
Naturally, Shlemon then proceeds to name and explain/expound on those reasons. It’s not a long article, so give it a read…
As it happens, a third STR guy, Jonathan Noyes, also published an article on Thanksgiving last week. Not exactly the same, but perhaps subject-adjacent, and he includes some of the same facts about the Pilgrims. Here is a bit from Noyes’ article:
“The Pilgrims were thankful for this harvest because they knew it was a gift from God, but it didn’t stop there. They also sought God’s direction and guidance to use these resources for his glory even while plagued with struggles and uncertainty. They prayed, “Grant us peace to use them reverently, as from Thy hands, with thankful hearts.” …
For the Pilgrims, the harvest meant survival. They knew the true story of reality included more than this physical world, though. They kept their focus on the only things that would sustain them regardless of their circumstance — Jesus, his cross, and Heaven beyond it. They pleaded to God for their souls to never grow satisfied with anything but Christ.”
You might want to check out that article, too. If one doesn’t grab you, maybe the other will.
Anyway, I hope your Thanksgiving was blessed, despite whatever (temporary?) circumstances you find yourselves in.
