Being Thankful Even When It Doesn’t Feel Right

“For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.”   Lamentation 3:31, ESV

I watched him as he walked past the parents lined up on the fence, head down, helmet on, with a quickened pace as he came off the field and walked to the car for the long ride home. Two hours earlier, my son talked my ear off about the second-round playoff game he was about to play. His team was coming off a big win in the opening week of their junior league playoffs. Sadly, the scoreboard eroded the enjoyment and excitement of his first playoff victory by the end of week two. He didn’t want a snack at the end of the game or a hug from his Mom. He kept his helmet on, so no one could see the heartbreak that leaked from his eyes. He loved football and the opportunity to play a sport he loved. But, it just didn’t feel right to be thankful for the game after experiencing a loss.

Often, we experience the same emotions on the road to redemption and heaven. We know as believers we have an eternal home with the Father, prepared for us by Jesus, our Lord. We can trust his words found in John 14:1-2, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” Yet, when we experience disappointments in life, it’s hard to see the bigger picture—the hope and redemption found in Jesus. It can be hard to find thanks-giving in the gospel when we are stuck in grief, disappointment, shock, disbelief, and unmet expectations. We face struggles in our marriages and home life, at school, at work, and even losing a ball game when we are eleven. So, how can we be thankful even when it doesn’t feel right?

Fight to be thankful no matter the stage of life.

As I have grown older, I have found the ability to express my thankfulness has waned. This may or may not be your experience. However, all of us can attest that our lives change as we spend more time on the earth. Solomon attests to the reality of change in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” But it is not very comforting when a well-meaning person says, “Don’t worry, it is just a season,” especially when you are in the middle of a hard time in your life. So, how can we find thankfulness in challenging seasons? The prophet, Jeremiah, experienced this struggle and offered insight as he expressed sorrow over the condition of Jerusalem in Lamentations chapter three.

Jeremiah experiences a tough season in his calling as a prophet of God. The city of Jerusalem fell to the Babylonian empire in 587 B.C., and most of the city was taken away into captivity by a pagan nation. Jeremiah was left behind, and he lamented over the wasted and burned city set before him. Poverty and hunger abounded. National pride was at an all-time low. The gates were burned, the city was defenseless, and the temple was in ruins. Yet, even in his heartache, Jeremiah is thankful for the grace he has seen through it all. He states in Lamentations 3:27, “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.” No matter what stage of life a person finds themselves, in youth, middle age, or golden years; whether single, in a marriage that is on the rocks; or experiencing the first holiday without a spouse, a person can always find something to be thankful for.

Fight to be thankful no matter how disappointing the journey.

I have seen thankfulness wither when there is a turn in the road. It can be an unexpected illness, a child who goes wayward and you never saw it coming, or a layoff after 20 years of faithful service to the company. These situations can be the soil where disappointment and ungratefulness grow. Jeremiah was a young prophet. From the beginning, God gave him a tough assignment in Jeremiah 1:10, “See I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” God called Jeremiah to stand in front of leadership who was much older and more established. Jeremiah’s job was to bring words of judgment from the Lord to Judah, foretelling them of the city’s impending destruction. He would face ridicule, embarrassment, rejection, and even the threat of death. It’s no wonder why Jeremiah is known as the “weeping prophet.”

Jeremiah didn’t even want the assignment. He clearly stated words of doubt in Jeremiah 1:6, “Ah, Lord God! Behold I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” Yet, he was obedient. He may have been fearful, doubtful, and I am sure a bit anxious about his future, but he was obedient. Out of this obedience, even when his message was not heeded and left to die, Jeremiah found the ability to be thankful. He wrote the following in Lamentations 3:22, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end: they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.”

Where did Jeremiah find the ability to be thankful? He found it in a correct understanding of God. At Jeremiah’s calling, God declared, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). God answered Jeremiah’s doubts and questions; he was the God of the universe, powerful and mighty, and he confirmed his purpose for his beloved prophet. In Jeremiah 1:8, God said, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” For Jeremiah, this truth and his calling were sufficient, even when the city was on fire.

Fight to find the words.

My son found his voice after the game. He took off his helmet and talked with me, his Dad, about the game. I had the privilege of listening to my son, whom I love dearly, as he told me about his disappointment with how the season ended. He wasn’t alone. We were together, and he was loved. That assurance would be enough.

Friend, God knows you. He sees you. He understands the hurt and pain you experience in life along with the victories and joy. He is not distant this Thanksgiving. He is near. The journey will be disappointing and challenging at times, but that doesn’t mean your outlook and heart have to follow suit. Protect your heart on the journey. Don’t allow the circumstances of today, shape your heart in the future. Take time to pray, seek, and yearn for the God of the universe and the gospel story he has given in his Son, Jesus. Allow the love of God to pour forth in your life, and find thanks even when you don’t feel like it.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Pastor Kevin

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