“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of Christ Jesus concerning you.”
-1 Thessalonians 5:18
It’s easy to be thankful, grateful, and happy when everything is going good, someone does something nice for you, and you’re momentarily worry-free. However, can we maintain that same positive persona and attitude when something goes wrong or doesn’t work out the way we hoped? This year has been tough for many people from financial hardships to a devastating pandemic. One of a few things that this year has taught me: not to take anything for granted. From the big things to the little things to things I hardly thought about, I should be grateful for them all. I should be grateful every day because I never know what may happen the next—what tragedy or issue could occur. Good health, a right mind, shelter, food, salvation, life—all of these things and more I am thankful for, but I must add trials, tribulations, enemies, challenges, and pain to that list, too.
Of course, it doesn’t feel good to go through, and sometimes we won’t see the point of a trial or tribulation, pain or challenge, enemy or backstabber until way later in life. Nonetheless, the bad has its purpose too. This has been a year of loss, struggle, pain, surprises, adjustments, growth, hope…Despite how bad things may look or feel in the moment, there is always something to be thankful for—something to appreciate even in the midst of the storm. It’s imperative that we hold on to those good things, remind ourselves of them, dwell on them so that our perspective shifts. If you’re too focused on the bad, it can and will keep you down, but when you harbor on the good or what will come in the future, you marinate on anticipation, hope, and positivity. Scripture challenges us to give thanks in every thing, not some things, a couple things, only the things we want to be grateful for, but every single thing. That includes the good, bad, and the ugly. That includes being thankful every day and not just once a year on Thanksgiving. Even as this year comes to a close and we consider what we anticipate for the next year, let us not forget to praise God and thank Him for what He’s already done in our lives and is doing now.
Thank You
Thank You for life.
Thank you for all that you’ve done for me, for what you’re doing, and what you will do.
Thank you for salvation—for another chance to get things right.
God, I thank you for my plight, even when things don’t seem to go right,
You’ve stayed by my side.
There have been times when I’ve been bombarded on every side
With negativity, a defeated mindset within me coaxing me to throw in the towel.
My back was against the wall, and I couldn’t find a reason to be happy at all.
When I thought I was lost in the valley, Your word was there to remind me
That “weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.”
And while it didn’t feel good to be in that place,
I understand that everything has its place—its purpose in its appointed time.
So for this, I must say ‘thank you.’
I am grateful for the pain, test, struggle, growth, knowledge, and gain.
I’m grateful for the person that I am.
My tests had to manifest for me to give my testimony,
So that You, Lord, can get all the glory for what you’ve done for and through me.
And in this season, I don’t want to take anything for granted.
Things I hardly thought about I appreciate them.
You didn’t have to do it, but You did.
Waking up in the morning, strength to get around on my own, a home—for everything I own.
God, you’ve given it all to me, and I thank you.
Andréa Hardaway 