Preparing our hearts for the giving of thanks… it is not only a beautiful American Tradition rooted in the Elizabethan English that founded a colony in the New World early in the 17th century, but it is a profound quality of the people of God in every century of human history. No doubt that life is riddled with difficult things day in and day out, but we find true and genuine thanksgiving for the gracious hand of God revealed in the midst of those very difficulties. Just like we learned in the book of Hosea that God’s grace is only truly understood against the backdrop of our sinfulness, we also find thankfulness is only truly understood against the backdrop of difficulties and disappointments.
Life is definitely a mixed bag of the sweet and the bitter things in life. The sweet things make us satisfied with our lives here on earth. They remind us of the beauty that is retained and revealed in so many things. However, the bitter things remind us of the brokenness of so many things. They make us anticipate heaven as the place where there is no more pain, no more tears, no more death, no more loneliness, and no more disappointments.
In the mean time, we endure and persevere the difficulties while we celebrate and give thanks for the good gifts God is pleased to give us. So, therefore, let me encourage you to have hearts full of praise and thanks for all the good things that God has given us and even for the difficulties that God uses to mold us into the image of Christ. In a day and age of uncertainty, we are to be people of grateful hearts for all that the Lord has done and will continue to do in the days to come.
I am so grateful for all of you. God bless you!
Your bro,
Kevin