I can’t seem to shake heaviness this Thanksgiving as I think of people who are struggling with major hardships, many friends who are bearing sorrow and loss, and thousands being forced to make the hard decision to leave their homes to find safety for their families because of terrorism.
This is a good year for us. We plan to be with our children and grandchildren and my sister. We are able to enjoy a meal to the point of overeating. We have no recent deaths in our family that make celebrations difficult. So it is easy for me to be thankful because I have so much—faith, family, friends, health, safety, home, and income.
If you are among those trying to celebrate Thanksgiving while struggling with pain, I pray that you know that God is very close even if he feels far away. There are no bullet points that I can share to help, no easy answers. God weeps with those who weep, and his compassions never fail. Reality is not determined by feelings, which can lead us to believe lies about God. Whether you feel it or not, thank God that he will meet you right where you are, and look for his small and tender mercies each day.
Somehow I want to celebrate God’s blessings and yet remember those for whom his goodness is veiled right now. I want to trust that he is good even when life is hard, unjust, and sorrowful. I want to keep in mind that this world is not the end for a day is coming when the King returns and makes all things new.
