Happy Thanksgiving!

I just want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and leave you with a couple of thoughts related to giving thanks.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Thankfulness is one of the marks of a Christian. We give thanks when our finances are doing well, when our families are happy, and when we enjoy the good things of this world. We give thanks when we are allowed a sight of God's glory and when we sense His nearness to us. We give thanks when we think about what He does for us in His great work of salvation.

Sometimes, though, life is difficult. I have a friend whose daughter died recently, and the funeral was this week. This came not long after the loss of a beloved employer. Some people are unemployed or struggling financially. This is an election month, and while some are excited, there are others who are very dissatisfied with the results and apprehensive of the future. In missions and in church life, there are setbacks and heartbreaks as well as victories. Sometimes, the future of the church or of our own particular churches looks bleak.

Even when we are sad or angry or fearful, it is good for us to take time to give thanks. Not only do we still have some good things in life, but all things are meant for our good, if we love God (Romans 8:28). Paul goes farther than that and says in 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, "For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." All things are mine, even death. All things are mine, even the most painful and upsetting things in my life. They are purchased for me with the blood of Christ, and they are for my good.

If you are struggling this Thanksgiving, I hope you can put your struggles in the context of God's goodness and take time to give thanks.