But Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26
This week of Thanksgiving is the time we all look a little harder at what we have to be thankful for. But it also is the time when we feel a little deeper the things we don’t have, not material things, but things of the heart that are missing. Sometimes it is a loved one that has passed away, so Thanksgiving and the holidays are feeling a little different, a little like visiting a strange place. Maybe it is a family conflict and you are not looking forward to spending the holidays separated from family or worrying about time together turning into a quarrel. Maybe you have been struggling finically and not having electricity to heat your home is what you are facing - and forget about having a Christmas for your kids.
It is hard to think about giving thanks when our hearts hurt so badly. Our vision and perspective are seen through the lens of our struggles, so nothing seems festive or exciting about this time of year. In fact, all the seasonal cheer can make us feel even worse. Your prayer may sound something like – Dear God, please let ________ and ________ have grace and forgiveness for each other and at least get along for Thanksgiving; and help my mom to be pain free this Thanksgiving. Also, please help me to have enough money to pay all my bills and maybe buy a small gift for my daughter. And my marriage…God I don’t even know how to pray. I know you are a big God, but I have so many problems, and they all seem so impossible...
If this sounds like your prayer this Thanksgiving season, you can be thankful because God is faithful and with Him all things are possible. Our lives shatter all around us and it feels like there is no hope, but God can take a million broken pieces and make it into something even more beautiful than it was before. And though it is hard to wrap our minds around, we already have everything that could ever bring us all the joy. See, the absence of family troubles, the absence of pain and sickness, the full bank account, or the perfect marriage are not what will bring us joy and make us thankful. The real and true secret of joy and thanksgiving is to know what we have in Jesus Christ and to give thanks continuously. God doesn’t just give us joy, He gives us Himself and lets us learn that He is true joy. For that we can be truly thankful, every day of our lives.
It is easy to just sit and feel the pain, worry, or grief because it weaves its way through our beings. It rings loud like a gong in our heads and it steals our joy and thanksgiving. Satan wants us to focus on everything we don’t have and not on God. Give God your broken heart and your impossibles. Hand them over and be thankful for His infinite wisdom and perfect ability to handle everything we throw at Him. He is capable and never overwhelmed by our issues. He may not take away every pain and fix every problem immediately, but in all these things we can find the fullness of joy if we are looking at Him. His presence brings us the fullness of joy we crave. During this holiday season, focus on what you already have, a Heavenly Father who loves us and wants the best for us.
