Summary: Americans are about to celebrate their Thanksgiving holiday, but that does not mean sad and terrible things do not continue to happen in America and the world. Some people approach Thanksgiving with heavy hearts. Loved ones can still become ill, money can still be tight, and suffering can be worse than ever. Sometimes during holiday seasons, it can be even more difficult to deal with these hard times because we feel like we are supposed to be happy and act as though nothing is wrong. God does not want us to lie about how we are feeling. Job is a good example of that! But even in the midst of our pain and sorrow, we can still thank God for the gifts He has given us. Thanksgiving can be a time to slow down and count them. It is likely that when we take a look at the little things in life, we will find that God is blessing us in small ways that we did not even notice. We know that David did not have a perfect life, but many of the Psalms are songs of praise and thanksgiving. He writes, “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” We also should continually give God praise and thanks. The rest of the world focuses on the negatives of life. In our thankfulness, Jesus-followers can show a different way of life, one filled with gratitude and love. Doesn’t that sound like a better way to live? This is Luis Palau.
