It has been a challenging season, hasn’t it?
For some, if not most of us, we are stepping cautiously into the holiday season. We have been jostled around by circumstances. We have been so socially isolated for the last twenty months that maybe we didn’t feel super thankful as the table was set with turkey and prayers of thanksgiving were spoken.
And that is okay; you are not alone.
I don’t think any of us expected the amount of constant disappointment, overwhelming shock, and deep grief we endured in the past year. As a human race, we have collectively experienced the loss of loved ones, as well as our own hopes and dreams, all within an instant.
When our expectations went awry, so did our hope, gratitude, and our feeling of safety.
So, as Christians, how do we remain grateful when we don’t feel grateful? Let’s spend some time looking at the immovable character of God in our lives and how that is something to remain thankful for.
God is good, even when our circumstances are not.
We live in a world full of brokenness. And it can be hard to look around and not be discouraged. Everywhere we turn, we take notice of death, sin, pride, sickness and disease, and the mistreatment of people, all of which are things that Jesus victoriously went to the cross for.
While God in his holiness and sovereignty cannot co-exist with sin, He is still good. He never leaves us to navigate the dark without Him. Therefore, we can take heart in knowing that He is always with us providing hope and strength.
It is from the overflow of His goodness that He upholds our faith, our patience, and our character to endure the hardships of life. In His goodness, He is always near to comfort us, encourage our weary souls, and continually pour out His love through His Son Jesus.
God is faithful, even when we aren’t.
Saying I am faithful is much easier than actually being faithful. And maybe you can relate? Being faithful in remaining grateful and content is less challenging when circumstances are easy and under control.
Countless times I have allowed a mean word, an inadequate bank account, or relational conflict to dictate my emotions. And I have repeatedly partnered with fear and disbelief instead of the miracle-working power of God.
What I love about God’s love story with humanity is that even as we prove to be faithless, time and time again, God always proves to be faithful. Not only do we see His consistent track record throughout Scripture, but I bet you can even look throughout the history of your own life, for better or for worse, and see that His perfect thread of consistency and goodness are woven throughout.
The most prevalent way we see this is through the life and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Father, in His kindness and goodness, provided a Savior so that we could have hope and an anchor while we experience hardships of many kinds. We also can have confidence in knowing that we have a Savior who isn’t blind to the many difficulties we experience because He has endured them Himself.
Isn’t God so good in that He never leaves us to navigate things by ourselves?
We are loved, seen, and cared for by the Father.
Isn’t it amazing that you and I were thought of before the creation of the world? Centuries upon centuries before we took our first breath, God knew us intimately, mind, heart, and spirit.
God loves you with a love that can’t be extinguished. And even when we deliberately chose the pride and sin that nailed His Son to the tree, the Father still made a way for us to be reconciled and restored back to his heart. You are the apple of His eye, and there is nothing you or I can do that will ever separate us from the love of God.
Not only does God love us, but He sees us. He knows our thoughts and hears our words even before they are spoken. He feels the pain we endure; He carries the weight we feel, and He wipes the tears that we cry behind closed doors. He is constantly with us, and He promises never to leave our gaze.
Like any loving parent, the Father takes care of His children. He not only provides for our physical needs, but He takes care of our emotional and spiritual ones as well. Because God has restored us to Him, we have His Spirit dwelling in us, leading us back to truth and helping us navigate the world. What an incredible provision!
Examples in Scripture
Sometimes we may feel like we are alone in our suffering and that no one will understand, especially those within the church. But can I encourage you that there are churches filled with people who are enduring this same feeling right this moment? And better yet, the Bible is filled with stories of men and women who struggle with being grateful when they just don’t feel like being thankful.
Hannah struggled mentally, emotionally, and physically to be grateful as her womb remained empty of life. Finally, after much grief and much time passing by, she returned to the temple to pray.
David walked through any and every kind of grief. He experienced loss, struggle, refinement, and death threats. And through his choice to remain grateful, we now have a collection of laments and praises that allow us to connect with the Father.
Jesus cried out to the Father on the Mount of Olives. The desperation and grief were so overwhelming that He asked the Father to take the cup from Him. And even in that moment, Jesus praised the Father for His will.
All three of these people had something in common. They were all experiencing pain and grief through their circumstances. They felt the weight of their mourning. And yet, they made a choice. They made a choice to return to the Father.
Maybe you are struggling with a heavy circumstance. The kind of heaviness that weighs you down and won’t allow you to come up for air.
Can I encourage you in that Jesus isn’t afraid of the big things you are feeling? He created you with emotions. He is the giver of grace that allows space at His table to bring your feelings and questions as you lay them at the foot of the cross.
We don’t have to pretend to be grateful, but I believe that as we return to our First Love, tears, angry words, and all, He will trade our mourning for joy, our sadness for gladness, and our despair for gratitude.
