Sunday Drive - Are You Truly Thankful?

(Out of all the photos I've taken, this is one of my favorites. I love sunrises. It reminds me of God's faithfulness.)

We are going to be celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday. This is the customary time to be "thankful".  At our home, we would go around the table and share the things we were thankful for. I can hear my own kiddos when they were little saying things like...

"Thank You for my family"
"Thank You for my house"
"Thank You for my toys"

You get the picture. All good things to be thankful for. They were so precious and innocent.

When our lives are filled with blessings, it's so easy to be thankful. My question to you is, are you thankful for the hard things? There are tough things that happen in our lives, can we be thankful for them?

If we believe that God is good and that He has a plan for our lives, then He allows the hard times to mold us and shape us into His image.

Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Psalms 34:8 (NKJV)
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

One of the key words in Psalms 34:8 is the word "trust". 

Do you trust that God knows what He's doing with your life? Do you believe that He's allowed this difficulty for you to grow and possibly trust in Him more?

Like I said earlier, it's really easy to thank The Lord for the good things in our life. Yet, during those seasons of struggle, we want to question why instead of being thankful. 

It's those difficulties in our lives that makes us stronger. A muscle will not develop unless it is put under some pressure. He is continuing that work in us to make us more like Him.

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NLT)
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

We must remember that these times are just a millisecond in the vastness of eternity. There are times in our life of goodness and blessing and there are times of difficulty and stress and even sadness.

But the season will change. The sun will rise the next morning. You are not alone. Jesus is with you. He promised that He will never leave you. You can believe that God is still in control and has a plan for you.

So, if you are going through a tough and hard time... can you be thankful for it? Yes, you can! Will it be hard? Probably... 

You can ask God to help you be thankful. You can ask God to make you stronger through it, to grow closer to Him.

Psalms 100:4-5 (NLT)
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

1 Thessalonians 6:16-18 (NIV)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Thank Him for molding you and shaping you into His creation.

Blessings! Happy Thanksgiving!
Lori