I have spent most of my life not being even remotely thankful for anything, except for small reprieves from my dark and tormented world. Even as a Christian I have spent the majority of my time focusing on my own suffering and pain. Gratitude has never been something that came easily to me because it has always been easier to feel sorry for myself.
And I have had many, many reasons to feel sorry for myself. I have had a hard life, full of abuse, terror, and pain. I have been to the very pit of hell and have seen Lucifer himself claim my life for his own. However, when I came into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and begun to experience His mercy and forgiveness something should have changed in my attitude towards life. I should have been able to connect with joy and thanksgiving and move away from pain and anger. But I couldn’t.
It is only recently that I have been able to come to a place where I could not blame God any more for the horrible things that have happened to me and to find joy in all the amazing blessings in my life. Before, I had to work really hard to see something good, unless it was something that gave me immediate delight, such as food or material things. Now I can finally say I have come into a place where I can delight myself in the Lord more often than in these worldly pleasures, and it is amazing.
We all have our journey with the Lord as we walk with Him in this perverse and wicked world. We have all been through a measure of hell in our lives and have to come through healing in order to truly recognize and accept God’s love for us. For some, it is easier than for others, but anyway you look at it, it is the most important part of our time here.
Every day I wake up is a gift from God, that He has granted me one more day in this life. That is one more day to smell the flowers, play with my animals, hug my children, spend time with my husband, and enjoy all the wonderful things God has given me. I still have so many days where I struggle and get bogged down in pain, but I now have more days where I can worship through to connect my spirit back to God.
Our Father is such a good, kind and loving father. He is with us through the worst of our trials, blessing us every step of the way. We need to learn how to recognize the little blessings and miracles that occur right in front of us every single day, even if that means being thankful just to breathe. Believe me, there are some days I have to be thankful that I am breathing because it is only the breath of God that gets me through.
So it is with this thought that I leave you as we go into Thanksgiving week: love the life that God has given you, be thankful in every trial, and welcome every day as it brings God’s new mercies on you.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and killed mighty kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 136