Good morning to you!
To start off our awesome annual tradition of having Guest Posters on Mondays through the month of November, I am so blessed to share this precious and moving post from Crystal at Wisdom Seeking Mommy Blog.
She touches on a subject that many of us acknowledge is real, for this time of year, but many of us shy away from because it is too hard to admit, or too hard to talk about.
That subject is finding thankfulness when there seems to be so much weighing us down.
Join with me in welcoming this sweet mom of one precious, and dearly loved, child as she writes about her struggle to focus on what is really important in life as she walks through this season.
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It’s good for us to be thankful for what God has blessed us with and to share our thanksgiving to Him for these things. But when we are in a season of trials and hardship being thankful can be hard.
Sometimes it feels like we just don’t have anything to be thankful for.
This month as we move into the holidays many struggle more as the things that are missing from their lives are often highlighted.
Family. Friends. Significant Others. Children. Money.
But what do you when these things are missing?
What do you do when you feel like you've got nothing to be thankful for?!?
One of the first things that people always say they are thankful for is their family.
Which is great and right- and I'm extremely thankful for my family!
But the years we were longing for our family to be blessed with a child, and the years that our children were born to heaven and not our arms, being thankful was very hard.
It was just another reminder of our loss and empty nest.
And what about those longing to be married at all?
Or those who've lost a loved one?
It's hard to be thankful in the midst of these trials.
But the Word says we are to "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
How exactly can we do that??
If you're struggling with being thankful, or feel like you've got nothing to be thankful for, here are some things that I've learned lately about being thankful when it's hard.
Being thankful isn't about what you have - or don't have!
Thankfulness is often lost because we start taking stock of what we have. Or what we don't have. This can start out well and good but it can also lead to some pretty ugly places: comparison, jealousy,
If you're struggling with finding something to be thankful for - stop taking inventory! <---click a="" to="" tweet="">
Instead look to our Heavenly Father.
Recently God has been teaching me that we need stop looking at our ourselves (i.e our character, nature, abilities, shortcomings, and stuff!) - and start looking at Him. Many of us struggle with doubt as we take stock of our lives and compare them to others and the world - but in our doubt we are forgetting God - who He is, what He is able to do, His forgiveness, and that He owns it ALL!
The Word says that, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17), and that God is generous (James 1:5). These verses are found in the midst of James encouraging those dealing with trials and temptations. Is that you?
The Lord has said He is close to the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18), and that He keeps track of our sorrows and holds every tear that we cry (Psalm 56:8). We can be thankful for that.
We can be thankful that He is the God who hears our prayers (Psalm 18:6) and answers them (Psalm 86:7), who is with us and so much more! We can be thankful for who He is - not our circumstances, our blessings or our hindrances - but for Him and Him alone.
Being thankful may still be hard - but when we remember that God holds the future (Jeremiah 29:11), that His promise is that He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), and that He cannot lie (Titus 1:2), we can trust Him to help us on our way.
My encouragement and goal this November is to be thankful for who God is, to focus my eyes on Him, so that my doubt and worry can fade away and that I rest in the perfect peace that only He can give (Isaiah 26:3).
Join me in being thankful for the Lord and His nature!
Crystal
I am a....Daughter of the King of Kings, Wife of a great man, and blessed to be Mother to a beautiful baby girl after 8 long years of infertility. I'm seeking Wisdom in this life and blogging about it on my journey through marriage, parenting, finances, health, and more. Come seek Wisdom with me!
This was amazing! I love how you look past what we have and what we don't have for Thanksgiving! The scriptures were very encouraging as well!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jill! As good as it is to look what we have (or in the case of bad things) don't have, I've also learned that it can lead down some pretty ugly paths. I'm glad you were encouraged!
DeleteThis is beautiful! Thank you for the reminder to be thankful for God, first and foremost! This is great advice for those years when we are struggling or down. God has been with us all along the way, and He cares for us. I'm so thankful for that. Thanks again. This was great.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful post Crystal. It's so easy to get caught up in the things this time of year and forget to be thankful for the One who has given us it all.
ReplyDeleteAmen! I know I've been there, done that. And I don't want to let myself go back there. I'm finding so much freedom in looking past my things. Thank you for commenting and encouraging me :-)
DeleteIt truly can be difficult to give thanks when times are tough. Sometimes you have to start small, with just one thing, and then you start seeing others. It also helps to pray for someone else when times are tough. We want to pray for our own situation, but acknowledging that others are also struggling helps to put it all in perspective. Thank you for this wonderful reminder.
ReplyDeleteThose are some great tips Stephanie! Thanks for sharing :-)
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