Give Thanks!

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

(Lamentations 3:22-23)

To say that this year has been a difficult one for me personally would be an understatement. Over the past few days leading up to our annual Thanksgiving celebration today, I was reviewing this year and the trials I have experienced, and one of my favorite Bible passages from Lamentations came to mind. Coincidentally (or not), this same passage was the scripture of the day in my daily devotional this morning. I was going to use some verse from the Psalms that talks about giving thanks to God (there are so many to choose from), but this one really wraps it up for me. I look back at some of the events of this year and realize that it is only because of God’s great compassion for me that I was not consumed by them. I was not consumed by grief, sorrow, anger, disappointment or any of the other emotions that gripped me at various times. Although there were days when I was feeling a little Job-like (and others were quick to make that comparison), I also felt the constant presence of God throughout each situation. And for that, I am thankful.

I am thankful that I have the promise of God through His Son Jesus Christ that I will never be abandoned. I am thankful that God walks with me through fire and flood (quite literally). I am thankful for the assurance that He knows exactly how I feel, and extends His mercy and compassion to me. I am thankful that He has brought me through each of these situations with the help of some of the most loyal and selfless friends that a person could ever hope to have. And I am thankful for a sense of humor, because it is healthier to laugh in the face of death and destruction than to wallow in misery and self-pity.

I posted on my facebook status today that “gratitude is the antidote to discontentment.” If I spend all of my energy thinking about what I don’t have, I will miss the opportunity to enjoy what I do have. In spite of everything that I have lost this year, I can still be grateful for these things:

• A peaceful home (that I WILL finish one of these days)
• A stable job that provides me with a very comfortable lifestyle
• Wonderful friends who love me, even when I am unlovable
• Reasonably good health, despite the occasional aches and pains that come with getting older
• Not one, but two reliable vehicles (I can’t bear to part with my old truck)
• New ministry opportunities that have recently opened up
• Most of all, the assurance of salvation and the promise that the best is yet to come

When I take an honest inventory of my life, I have to admit that I have it pretty good. God has been gracious and has blessed me abundantly in ways that really matter. And for that, I am most thankful.

God never promises us a smooth journey; the ride can get pretty turbulent at times. But He does promise us a safe landing. I figure I’m going to be at my final destination for quite some time, so I’m in no hurry for the journey to end just yet. In the meantime, I’ll keep my seat belt fastened during the bumpy parts, and move about the cabin when it’s safe to do so. And give thanks in each and every situation.

Have a blessed and safe Thanksgiving!

Pastor David