Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love that we take a day to be thankful for all that we have. My favorite church service is the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving. People give testimonies about how God turned difficulties into testimonies of God’s goodness. Some stories don’t have happy endings, because they are not yet sure how their stories will end, yet they trust in the Lord’s plan for their lives.
Looking back at hard times in my life, I am thankful that God used my difficult circumstances to draw me closer to him. Faced with pain, loss and uncertainty, my life could have gone many ways. I could have tried to fight my circumstances and wrestle for control, but I didn’t. I finally let go and gave it to God. Every time a doubt crossed my mind, I would pray.
Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the inner
depths of the heart.
—Proverbs 20:30 NKJV
During difficulties, I decided to trust in God. My heart changed from focusing on my circumstances to trusting that God has my life in his hands. God can turn anything into good. When I focus only on what I can see, it looks bleak. When I focus on what God has planned for me, it looks amazing. My heart feels peace. Now I say my prayers, and ask that God will help me fulfill his purpose for my life and to let his will be done. People see you and have their own thoughts and judgements. God sees your heart. God sees your true intentions. God weighs and judges your heart and will work on refining you to make you more like him.
Every way of a man is right
in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs the heart.
—Proverbs 21:2 NKJV
I don’t want to do this life on my own. I have tried, and felt stress and confusion. I want to do God’s will. Our God is a just and loving God, who wants the best for us.
Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
—Ezekiel 37: 23 NKJV
Wherever you are at, God wants you to seek him. No matter where you are at in life, going through the hardest time where you feel like there is no way out or you have it all but still feel something missing. God fills that space fully and completely.
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
Call upon him while he is near.
—Isaiah 55:6
This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for the difficult times, so I can embrace and appreciate all of God’s blessings in my life. I am thankful for all that God has done in my life. When God comes through, he comes all the way through, beyond anything we can imagine.
Embrace This Beautiful Life 