This is the Thanksgiving season in the U.S., harkening back to the early days of our nation as the Pilgrims settled in the northeast part of our country. Their first winter was brutal, but the native Indians helped them get through it. The Pilgrims wanted to show their gratitude…their thanks for the blessings they had received. It was 1621. The new colonists and the Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.

Almost 400 years later we find ourselves in one of the most challenging periods our world has experienced as we navigate a global pandemic that kills lives and decimates economies. So, how can we feel thankful in such turmoil? And when we personally know many who are impacted, how can we be thankful in the midst of such uncertainty?

A recent post by Thomas Nelson Bibles picked up on the theme of thankfulness in a day when it isn’t so easy. And they offered three strategies for nurturing gratitude when thankfulness is hard.

  • Spend time in the Psalms. These passages are filled with praise and adoration. Hundreds of verses give thanks for all God has done, from creation to our own personal lives. The Psalms of David are especially good examples for us, like Psalm 9, 34, and 145.
  • Get a second opinion. Often others have a better perspective on our situation and our blessings than we do. We can easily overlook God’s rich blessings when they are blotted out by our current problems. Others can help us look beyond today’s concerns to tomorrow’s promise of hope from the Lord.
  • Expand your search beyond the obvious. The life of Joseph should remind us that what we see on the surface may have little relation to what God has for us in the years ahead. Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. But when the famine came and the brothers had to go to Egypt, it was Joseph who responded in kindness. Remember his words. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” (Gen. 50:20 NLT)
    As the Thomas Nelson article pointed out, “Joseph saw God’s hand at work in the setbacks of his life. He recognized the extraordinarily good that God brought from them. If we can find that same perspective in our lives, we’ll discover a never-ending stream of things to be thankful for.”

I often suggest to take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. The easy part is listing the problems and challenges on one side of the line. Then move over to the other side and begin to list God’s blessings. Life. Health. Family. Friends. On and on you can go as you think of how the Lord sustains and blesses even through the tough days.

Then…across the top of the page write this verse in bold letters:

“I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?”

Jeremiah 32:27 NLT

Personal note: I am sitting in the emergency room with my wife who is dealing with an ongoing problem with a hip replacement. In the last two months Judy endured three surgeries and now has the prospect of a fourth one.  I’m reading these words I have just typed and I’m praying the truth of God’s Word, that what the Lord told Jeremiah those many centuries ago is still true today. I know it is. And, believe me…I am thankful for that firm foundation!