This year as Thanksgiving approaches, I feel extremely blessed in so many areas of my life. But there have been Thanksgivings when I've felt a little more pressed to truly give thanks. I want to offer some words of encouragement to those who may feel that way right now, because I've been there and made it through to a brighter season in life.
For those experiencing physical suffering, give thanks for the breath in your lungs, sight in your eyes, and the body's amazing capacity to heal.
For those in the depths of grief, give thanks for the blessing of knowing your loved one and sharing a season of life with them. You know full well they want to see you happy and hopeful.
For those who are jobless or dissatisfied with their job, give thanks for the unique purpose God placed in you that only you can fulfill. You have unique talents and boundless potential. Tune in to them, refine them, and then relentlessly pursue a meaningful opportunity.
For those who are broken-hearted, give thanks for the capacity to love. It was not wasted time. You learned more about who you are and what you do and don't want in a relationship. You are better equipped to meet the right person who will love you the way you want to be loved...the way you deserve to be loved.
For those struggling with anxiety or depression, give thanks for being alive. Find those who will listen and support you and allow only those folks into your inner circle. Let go of what does not serve you. Invite what brings you peace. Be willing to try new ways to bring peace and hope into your life.
I truly believe that, even in the darkest of times, we can find blessings in our lives. They may not shine brightly at this hour. They may be easy to discount, diminish, or minimize. But they are there, waiting to be recognized and valued. We all go through seasons of darkness, seasons of hopelessness, seasons of despair and grief. What makes this life worth living is finding the tiniest spark of hope and fanning that flame, protecting it from being extinguished, until one fine day it ignites into a glorious, all-encompassing fire.
