Yesterday I suggested that you make a list of the things for which you are thankful. And I acknowledged that such a list would be easy to complete, our blessings are so many.
But would any of us include some of the harder things we've dealt with this year?
Being stricken with Covid 10...having to work from home...having lost your job due to the pandemic...trying to help you children do school "online"...loss of income...loss of health...loss of relationships.
Giving thanks for the harder things doesn't seem to make sense. Why give thanks to God for a list like the above? Why we might be tempted to wonder why God allowed some of those things to happen to us in the first place? Surely it's hard to see the wisdom for suffering like that.
I've felt some of those same emotions as well. But these things have taught me an important lesson - just how much I need the Lord in my life.
My hard thing is depression. I have suffered from this condition for most of my adult life, although it wasn't diagnosed until 15 years ago. The last five to six years have been the worst. I am usually pretty good at hiding how I'm really feeling. But those who know me can tell when "the black dog" is following me closely. In those times I hate how I think, how I act, what I do. It's miserable.
Still, I am helped by medication, getting exercise, watching my diet, getting enough rest and spending time with a skilled therapist.
And this hard thing is a blessing because it has led me to turn again and again to the Lord.
Psalm 34 had become very special to me and I pray it often.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry and the Lord hears them, and delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and will save those whose spirits are crushed.
Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord will deliver him out of them all. (vs. 15-20)
Giving thanks for the harder things is not easy. No one likes to suffer. No one enjoys feeling pain.
But if that harder thing is drawing you closer to the Lord, so that you spend more time in the Scriptures, more time in prayer, more time asking for the faith that will help you believe that God is with you in your suffering, then, God is using that harder things for your good.
The Psalmist reminds us that God is watching and hear us when we cry out to Him. In His time and in His creative way, God will deliver us from our troubles. We can trust that God will see us through an illness, a financial crisis or a family struggle. He is near to us, His dear children.
I pray that you have a Happy Thanksgiving. And I hope you will be able to take some time to thank God for the rich blessings He has given you. May He help you with the hard things you face. He hears your cries. He promises deliverance. He is near to you. With the hands of faith, reach out and hold onto Jesus. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Especially when you are dealing with the harder things.
