When Gratitude Hurts.

 I love the fall. I love October, and I really love November. I don't think it's only (but it does have something to do with it, I'm sure!) cause my birthday is in November either. At the end of a year, I always reflect on the last year. Just like I reflect and dream and set goals for at the beginning of a year. I think about the gifts, roadblocks, joy, inconveniences, growth, experienced  and wisdom gained over the last year. What went well, what did not go so well. What I need to change, what work I need to take with me the following year. 

All of these reflections usually fill my heart with gratitude. I've entered into some pretty huge lessons about gratitude in recent years. It started a few months before I moved to Germany when I read 1,000 Gifts. Not to be a band wagoner, but God really did use it to teach and desciple me. Then when I moved to Germany the lessons on thanks, gratitude and contentment only deepened and became more refined. 

So I'm going to call out the elephant in the room and just say sometimes gratitude and thanksgiving sucks. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes you're so discouraged and your vision is so clouded by the cares of this world you can't see past it and into the next. Thanksgiving isn't easy. Life happens and it's so hard to really live in a joyful, grateful and content place some seasons. I know and have tasted that. 

But you know what else I know and have tasted? God's presence in it. All of it. Not once has He thrown His hands up in the air and said "Wow, Lin. Too far. That was too far. I'm just done...." And I know He never will because if He ever were going to do that it would have been before He allowed Himself to be mutalated in my stead. God's presence in my life has been my anchor and glue. He has also used tons of people to minister to me and encourage me along the way. But I've found His presence to be enough, and of the utmost worth. 

Life isn't all roses. Sometimes giving thanks and celebrating and living out of joy hurts. Sometimes you can't breathe cause of the pain, and you just about black out. But when you do, He won't leave you alone. He'll minister to you in your pain, and He'll catch you when you pass out. 

My encourage ment to those of us dealing with pain, and most of us probably are in some way, is this: He is with you in your pain- you're not alone! And His presence is enough. Our God is able to heal and restore and work in the midst of situations that seem to rob thankfulness. He can restore your gratitude. But mostly, His presence is never failing and constant, always giving us something to be thankful for. Because of His presence and rescuing, we always have a reason for thanksgiving. And that cannot be robbed. 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!