"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
Hebrews 11:1
Giving thanks for the good things
Let me start out by wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! May this day be filled with gratitude for what God has done in us and for us.
Though this year has been filled with challenges, tests of faith and difficult times for me and my family, there have been so many good things that I am thankful for:
- Great friends - you really get to know who your friends are during the hard times. I am so blessed with awesome friends who have supported us and prayed for us. Their prayers have lifted us up and carried us through the hardest of times. "Thank you dear friends...and please keep praying!"
- Wonderful family - while you can choose your friends and not your family, I wouldn't have chosen anyone else. My husband, son, mother and sister are wonderful. "I love you and am so grateful for you."
- Beauty and provision - living in the Northwest is an opportunity for daily gratitude. It's so beautiful here. And, God has provided for us in all the various ways. I love my house and surroundings. I'm grateful for God's provision.
- Meaningful work - having a purpose and worthwhile calling makes my life worth living - without it I feel only partially alive. (Of course I would never want to be without my friends and family!) Semper Vita is that call for me. I am beyond grateful to God for inviting me on this journey with him.
- God - well, what can I say? There would be no life, real life or hope without God in my life.
This year really has been amongst the most difficult. It's been challenging on all fronts - relationally, spiritually, mentally, physically, financially and emotionally. So much so that earlier in the year I didn't feel hope. Of course I still had the hope given by Jesus but I didn't have hope for my everyday life. In fact, I would have been happy to learn that my expiration date was coming up. Now I'm glad it didn't!
God has taken me on an immense growth journey. He's allowed me to experience the depths of loneliness. My faith has been tested. And, most significantly, he's invited me to learn about his great love, deep comfort and powerful presence. God showed me things about myself I didn't know and revealed things about him I couldn't have imagined.
Now I'm overflowing with hope. God is so good. He really, really does work in all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).God is good - all the time. He knows just what we need (even the hard stuff) to get us to where we need to go.
Blaming God?In the midst of the turmoil I did have very honest conversations with God. At times I told him I could not go on. Other times I told him that this was not the script! (He reminded me that it was his script and we were right where we needed to be.) I told him I didn't like it. I told him that I could not do what he was asking of me. And, each time, after I poured my heart out, I re-surrendered to God and told him that "of course I would follow." After all, who else is there? Who do we have but God?
These experiences and conversations did lead me to think about the fact that so often we blame God when things go wrong. We might even be tempted to turn our backs on him or decide there cannot be a God. Are you there now or have you been there? Can I challenge you to a new thought? I dare you to persist through the hard times. Trust God to get you through it. And then watch...just watch and experience how awesome God is. He restores our life. He gives us back our hope.
Thank you God - for the hope!Life is not totally back on track and we still have challenges...but we are not without hope. God will see us through. I rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2)and remember that the source of my hope is Jesus. As Colossians 1:27 states, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
This Thanksgiving, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
