Come Before Him with Thanksgiving

For Americans, this past week marked the Thanksgiving celebration of our country. We gathered with family and friends who joined us in good food and, hopefully, a time of thankfulness for all that is around us. For many, it was a time of remembering where our country has come from, and the history surrounding our origin. As Christians, we understand that our thanks is not vainly lifted, but that we praise, thank, and serve the God who is the Giver of all things. For some, the holiday season can be difficult.  Whether the holidays bring back memories of different times or the loss of a close person, some people struggle to find thankfulness in their hearts as they gather.  A quote by Abbey Wedgeworth says, “We can give thanks in grief, because even when all of the gifts are taken away, we still have the Giver.”  When having times of emotional doubts and struggles, Christians can lead themselves to the guide that is always true and faithful: God’s Word.  James 1:17 reminds us:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” 

Psalm 95 also states:

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

We can find hope and joy, regardless of our circumstances, because we know the One who made all things and still controls all of it. The Psalmist understood this truth, and grounded himself in it when times were both easy and hard.  May we look to God’s Word each time we start to doubt our blessings in life, and may we let His Words guide us through whatever we face in the coming weeks.