Encouragement

Learning to Give Thanks Even When It’s Hard

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I can’t believe it’s already December, and yet on the other hand, it feels like we’ve been in 2020 for ages. I was thankfully able to have a great deal of normalcy this year, and though I wasn’t affected in some of the ways my friends were, I still experienced pain and loss too. It wasn’t pandemic related, but it overwhelmed me just the same.

I had been navigating hurt in several friendships, but in this time of isolation, the rifts in my relationships have hurt more. I battled loneliness and heartache. I fought off offense and anger. I can’t say I’m fully on the other side of it all, but the Lord has been sustaining me.

Now, with Thanksgiving behind us and Advent upon us, I’m finding myself struggling to feel what I ought to feel this holiday season. I’m not a pessimist nor am I an optimist. I tend to fall into the realist category. In the midst of the valley, I know what I should thank God for, but it’s also hard to see through the clouds at the top of the mountain to notice all the joy. My heart desperately wants to live in a state of perpetual gratitude, but I often see the lack, the loss, and all that is not yet. There has been some restoration in my friendships, but hopelessness lies in wait to steal any joy the Lord has for me.

I hold both the hard reality of my life and the bits of hope, and I turn to God’s Word to guide me when my feelings can’t seem to catch up. I turn to Psalm 100 and read:

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His loving kindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

These words remind me of the truth I so easily forget: God is God, and no one can compare to His greatness. We were made by Him and for Him, and He calls us His very own. We are His sheep, dearly and wholly loved by Him. He has blessed us with His goodness, and He is faithful to us throughout our lives. And it doesn’t end with us! It keeps going to all future generations.

I read the psalm over and over again because my heart needs to soak in the truth. Slowly but surely, I start to remember all the moments where I experienced God’s goodness and faithfulness to me. And each one gives me reason to give thanks and to rejoice.

Regardless of my circumstances, I can return to the truth that God is God. No matter what my emotions say, He is still good and He loves me more than anyone else can. Despite what others might say about me, the truth is that God made me in His likeness and He calls me worthy.

The hope of this season for me and you, for all of us feeling lonely and heavy hearted, is that the Lord is near. He is everything we need and everything we desire. And that’s why we can give thanks, shout joyfully, serve with gladness, and sing praise.

Are you struggling to be thankful? Let’s remember who God has been and what He has done, and let’s name at least one thing we can be thankful for.

 

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The hope of this season for me and you, for all of us feeling lonely and heavy hearted, is that the Lord is near. -@karina268:

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About the Author

Karina Allen is devoted to helping women live out their unique calling and building authentic community through the practical application of Scripture in an approachable, winsome manner.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
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Comments

  1. Karina,
    I admit to being a glass-half-empty type of gal. I don’t necessarily like being this way. I have to work extra hard to look for the blessings and fullness. It’s there…we just may have to look harder this year. I find that giving thanks (gratitude) is the bolt cutter that slices through the shackles of despair and gives us the freedom we’re looking for. I am so thankful for God, His Word, and especially my husband with whom I’ve been blessed to quarantine during this pandemic. Beautiful post, Karina!
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

  2. Yes it is hard at times to be thankful. I think of my broken family and how much I miss them. My heart goes out to others who are going through the same.

  3. Thank you so much for this, it touched me in a personal way. One of those “coincidence” things that makes your heart jump and know that God is working, even in the little details. Praise and gratitude is definitely the way in this advent season! God bless.

  4. Oh God I thank you for keeping my family healthy. I thank you Lord for our youngest grandbaby being able to have Mommy home all year working. I thank you God for keeping Brienna, Sean, Meghan, Mackenzie and Declan healthy. God thank you for keeping my family and friends well. God help me be obedient each day.

  5. Thank you for sharing your heart today! God bless you as you heal and work though this disappointment and trust Him for what is next in life’s journey. I too had relationship fallouts/rifts/endings this past year. I know what you are going through, but above all God does too!! Thank you for your faithful service to Him!! Keep on keeping on. He is the reason we live and serve! Being in a thankful attitude definitely is what our world needs: “an attitude of gratitude” as I have heard it once said!

  6. Dear Karina:

    Thank you for an encouraging post. I, too, am re-evaluating some friendships, and for similar reasons you point out. I know that I don’t process things as fast as others say they do; and I get irritated when friends tell me I’m not processing things fast enough. Thank you for reminding me of God being God and no one can compare to who and what He is. Thank you for letting me know that my pace is my pace, and if it needs to be stepped up or slowed down, or if it’s okay where I am, God will show me. Have a wonderful and blessed day.

  7. This time of year can be a struggle for many!! Since I lost my husband Thanksgiving always reminds me of the fun times we had cooking together and feeding our family but I am learning to thank God for those memories and the hope we have that this world is not the end of the story. Bless you during this very special season.

  10. Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10

    Your words today remind me of one of my favorite verses and how it impacts me, which I wrote about in my journal one day…part of that line of thought is below…

    Psalm 46:10 is a special and favorite verse for many of us. I know it definitely is for me. Chapter 46 begins with proclaiming God is our refuge and strength and goes on to declare that whatever rages around us, God is with us, and then in verse ten, these words stand out like an oasis in a desert. Be still, and know that I am God. Right there is the answer to everything. He is God.

  11. You yes it can be very hard to give to thanks. Especially if you been told bad news. Your not well or you only got so long to live. Or your family member. Or you heard about a good friend or someone in your Church not well. Or you just lost your job or your husband been told he going to paid of. You have kids to think of bills to pay. The list go on. You put your hands on your head. Say why us. When there are people in our world that do wrong get away with it. Or that person can live without a worry or care. There life is so happy. They have the big house fancy cars. Their kids are all ok. They don’t care about God. In fact they don’t believe in God. They got their health all of them. They are so happy. Here am I not well or my Husband just going to loose his job you say. We believe in God. Why why God are you letting this happen to us. Them that doesn’t believe in you. Have a wonderful life. It’s just not fair were are you God when I need you most. In times like this it is very hard to thank God. When you see the unsaved. Doing well. Things like this happing to you. You as Follower of Jesus. Have to I know it is hard. Try if been there in the things like this in your life. Like I have just said. Rise above it if you can. Not let the old Devil win. Say ah I have you. See the unsaved have the better life. Now we’re is the God you believe in. Why is he not helping you now. It yes is hard. I been there in the past so has my Husband. It not easy with my health and my Husband his job. As one time he had no job. One time I was not well. All through theses times we still tithed what money we had too God. We yes did get annoyed. To see God blessing other Followers of his not us at times. Plus the unsaved do ok. Some of them and have no health problems etc. We used say. God we are trusting you. We are doing what your word says. We are tithing. You are blessing them that are saved and not us why?God spoke to us. Said don’t watch then or what I do for them or what the unsaved have like their health and jobs and get away with it. They don’t care about me. I see that you are doing what is right in my eyes. If you don’t get your blessings this side of earth you get them when you leave earth. I see you are living right and doing what right in my eyes. That spoke to both of us. Then we began to change the way we think and everything did. We did not only thank God for walking with during that time. Waking us to enjoy another day in his beautiful world. We do that still today both of us plus say this. This is Day the LORD has Made Let Us Rejoice And Be Glad In Psalm 118 verse 24. How very true that is. We have alot to thank God for as follower of his. Even as I said even if sick or lost or Jobs. No matter what it is. That God woke us up to see another. That is something to thank God for. Plus what Psalm 118 verse 24 says. This is Day the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in. When me and my Husband changed our attitudes. Things began to change for us. All those years ago. Now we want for nothing. My Husband has full time work and I had the operation I so badly needed. I am so much better now. God we have to thank for that. So every day we thank God for that. As a Song goes. You get it on YouTube “Give thanks with a greatfull Heart because he’s given Jesus Christ his son” How true that is. Love today’s reading. Pray for you all incourage. Dawn Ferguson-Little xx

  12. The Lord has blessed me with true and faithful and encouraging, and supportive friends.

  13. Thank you for this post, it’s just what I needed to hear this morning. I thank the Lord for giving me superhuman strength and endurance to take care of my handicapped daughter. I thank God that he shows me how precious each moment spent with her is and blesses me with a thankful heart each morning so I can appreciate every day we spend together.

  15. Ironically, this is the first Christmas season that I don’t feel heavy or gloomy. Usually, this time of year, I feel overwhelmed by all of the holiday commercialism and demands. But this year, I sense overwhelming joy on the horizon! So, I am elated, excited, and expectant. I’ll send some elation your way, friend.

    Shalom to you.
    LCB

  18. Thank you! Just what I (and obviously many others) needed to read today. My old mom and pop moved in with my husband and I in July. I love that they are with us. They have had a very long and good life; faithfully living for Jesus. But it does not make it any easier that we have called in-home hospice care for my mom, who is very frail and suffers from dementia. I feel like crying often. It is very difficult to see my mommy dying before my eyes. And the feeling of being overwhelmed…. I know this is the circle of life in our world. I have to fight the anger, as my brother in another state doesn’t care what is going on in our home. Lots of stuff. Lots of people have lots of stuff this year. So THANK YOU!!!!!

    • That is a lot Stephanie! Praying that you easily trade your heavy burden for His light one. He is ready and waiting. May His peace and joy overwhelm you even in the midst of this hard season.

      Thank you for sharing!

  19. Karina,
    I can totally identify with you, as 2020 has been a hard year and not necessarily from the pandemic. I hadn’t realized I’d been suffering from chronic stress until June. But you’re right. God is God, and God is good. All of the time. And it’s amazing what happens when we remember those promises. Gratitude flows.

    Thank you so much for this posts and the other ones written. You’re authentic, and you encourage me so much.

    • Thank you SO much Jennifer! I will treasure those kind words!

      Praying that the Lord fills your heart with joy and peace this season. May you constantly draw near to Him as He draws near to you.

      Thank you for sharing! Blessings to you!

  21. Karina,

    I’m not a fan of the holidays. Simply put the world’s commercialism of Christmas-going straight from Halloween to Christmas buying. Don’t tell me seasons greetings or happy holidays. I want to hear Merry Christmas. Songs that I love are “It’s Called Christmas with a Capital C” by Go Fish. “Leaving Heaven” by Matthew West. They state the reason for the holiday. It is Jesus’s birthday.

    When I feel down I simply make a thankful journal. Start listing everything from God, Jesus Home in Heaven to paper clips & everything in between. I can usually get 200+ items on the list. It is amazing how that simple act makes me feel so much better. You realize just how much God loves & cares for you.

    Blessings 🙂

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