Being thankful when things are going well is so easy. It’s easy to be thankful when your kids are doing well at school. It’s easy to be thankful when you just got a promotion. It’s easy to be thankful when it’s all rainbows and sunshine.
But you know what stinks? Life is rarely full of rainbows and sunshine. There always seems to be a cloud or two. Or 10. Or 50. So what do we do with that? We read about Job, when he said, “…Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?…” (Job 2:10). We know that God is in control, and yet. Yet… it can be so hard and just so stink to high heaven. It’s easy to get discouraged, disgruntled… and let’s face it, feel entitled to better.
But you know what someone reminded me of the other day? God sent down His son to suffer for us, even when we were sinners. Even when we raised an angry fist at God for loving us enough to say, “No” or “Wait” or “Yes, do THAT!” How much more adversity did Jesus have to face? And He willingly bore it all for us. All of it. The good, the bad, the ugly… and the foul.
So yes, I am thankful for all the beautiful and wonderful things in my life. I am so thankful for an incredible husband and awesome kids that I truly don’t deserve. God is good. But I choose to also be thankful for the hard stuff. For the times when the twins are ‘oh so crabby’ and who’s middle names should more appropriately have been “Destroyer 1 and 2.” For those holiday reminders for those who aren’t here with me anymore. For those times when I am at the end of my rope, and I’m fighting to hold on, and God whispers in my ear, “Let go.” I choose to trust Him. I choose to be thankful. He is still good.
I hope you all can be thankful for all that the LORD has deemed appropriate to place in your life too, especially during this Thanksgiving Holiday. I wish I understood ‘why’ so often. I don’t understand why some people’s plates seem so overloaded with difficulties while others seem to only have gourmet meals served to them on golden platters. But I am again reminded that God has a plan. He has a purpose. He loves us all perfectly. He is worthy of not only our praise but our trust. No matter what. And He has a perspective that we will never understand, especially on this side of heaven. And that’s OK. Walk boldly in that truth, my friends! God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good.
