A belated Thanksgiving from the Mooresville Chamber
Thankful. A simple word. An adjective and according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, its meanings are:
1: conscious of benefit received
“for what we are about to receive make us truly thankful”
2: expressive of thanks
“thankful service”
3: well pleased : GLAD
“was thankful that it didn't rain”
We have heard and seen it all, I think, about how to be thankful, what we should be thankful for, who we should be thankful for and why we should be thankful. For me, being thankful is something that God speaks to me of, always. I, like most human beings, take things for granted. I am stubborn. I am ignorant at times and at other times, I lack empathy and understanding. My life, my family, my health, while all, not perfect, are there for me. God speaks to this idea of being thankful often throughout our life manual we call, The Bible. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God’s will. I do not always understand or agree with God’s will. Many times, I lead with my feelings instead of that still small voice.
For example, over the last six years our family has lost over 10 members of our family. Within several months alone, it was five people. Talk about God’s will! It’s extremely difficult for a simple human being like myself, to understand God’s will at times like that. A time when there was so much death, I had been diagnosed with many health issues, there was instability in my professional and personal lives. Why God? W…H…Y…? I thought about it. Just giving up. It’s not going to get any better so why try?
Well, I got out of that quick. Some of you who know me know that I am a fighter. I’m a lover, I’m a helper, and I’m a doer. What I’ve learned is that God’s love is good, and his love endures forever. He never breaks his promises, he never dies, he never lies, and he is always with us. What amazes me is the time after the storm. I always think to myself, “Ok. I made it through. It’s getting better. I’m not dead yet and I still have my faith and my hope.”
When we are thankful, our focus moves off our selfish desires and the current pain. Expressing our thanks to God helps us remember that God is in control. Thankfulness is not just appropriate, it’s healthy and it benefits us. Being thankful reminds me of the bigger picture, that I belong to God, and that I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing, as he tells us in Ephesians 1:3. Truly, I have an abundant life, see John 10:10, and am thankful. I hope you can see the sun through the clouds and if not, look up to the sky. God Bless you all and Happy Thanksgiving!
This article originally appeared on The Reporter Times: A belated Thanksgiving from the Mooresville Chamber
