Being Thankful in the Storms
MagAmericans.com
What do you have to be thankful for?
Seems like a question we should ask ourselves every day, but we don’t. No, that question is reserved for this season alone. How would the world be different if we all woke up and took a moment to consider what we are thankful for.
When we are asked, most of us say the same things. We are thankful for our kids, a job, or something good that happened to us this year. Don’t get me wrong, those things are important, but we overlook so much.
I am thankful for the sunrise painted across the sky that I get to see on my morning drive to work. I am thankful for moments on my front porch with a coffee and the rain slapping against the concrete. Thankful when the world seems to light up briefly by the flashing lightning. Even when the howl of the wind only relents for the thunder to crash.
I try to remember to be thankful in the storm. After it is over, I try to be thankful for the storm. Don’t get lost in the damage the storm leaves behind, be thankful for the opportunity to rebuild once the storm has taught its uncomfortable and sometimes violent lessons.
We all face storms; God doesn’t promise that we won’t. He promises to be with us in the midst of them. He promises to go through them with us. He didn’t promise we wouldn’t face trouble or valleys. He promises to be by our side and to carry us when we really need it.
I have had moments in my life where I know He carried me. I have been through a lot, overcome pain, and rebuilt myself after damage was done. Each time I became stronger. Each time my character was galvanized in fire. Each time my faith grew.
I wonder, if you met the person you were 20 years ago, would you like yourself?
God uses all things for good. Storms can galvanize you or weaken you. They can strengthen your character, or they can break your spirit. Just never give up, you will make it through. What can you take from the storm, what can you use? What damaged areas can you rebuild, what broken relationships can be healed. Keep your eyes on the person you want to be, not the person you once were.
I am thankful for the lessons I have learned this year, painful or otherwise. Not only am I thankful for the destination, but I am also thankful for the journey. The smooth roads and the rocky trails too. The potholes and speedbumps that we hit along the way can screw up our suspension. They can make us feel unstable and rock us to our core. They can even knock us down sometimes. Try to use them to become what God intended you to be. Don’t sit in the potholes. Learn from them. They are valuable if you see them for what they are. They are not simply potholes; they are priceless lessons. Lessons in character and decency.
It is not the storms that shape us as people, it is our reaction to them that does.
In this season, as we prepare to celebrate the birth our savior. Take time to thank God for the hard things as well as the successes given to us by this fallen world. Remember to love one another and not just the ones that are easy to love.
Remember, the true test of Christianity is not loving Jesus. It's loving Judas.