Being thankful when life is really tough
…can be really tough…
We are in full swing of the holiday season. And Thanksgiving day is arriving soon! I love Thanksgiving and not just for the amazing food I get to share with friends and family. But because it’s a great time to think about what we have to be thankful for.
This year 30 days before Thanksgiving day, every day I had my children share one thing they are thankful for. I had to share as well of course. It really made me think about all the big things (our new house!) but also the little things (scarf around my neck to keep me warm). I absolutely loved hearing what my kids were thankful for (going to grandmas house, play phone, socks).
But what if you’re going through something really tough?
It is incredibly challenging to be a mom of a child with autism. There are so many bad days…weeks…moments. Unable to help your child and just watching them struggle is heartbreaking. I share my own personal story of how I deal with this diagnosis of my child.
It can be so hard to be thankful.
I would love to encourage you, Mama. Let’s look to God and let’s look at what the Bible tells us.
I love looking at the heroes of the Bible and see how they handle things.
When thinking on this topic I thought of David.
David is well-known for being a shepherd boy who fought Goliath and ultimately becoming a great king. Did you know he had a child, a baby that was sick and died?
2 Samuel 12 says this:
18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”
19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped
David has many instances when he is going through something difficult yet he chooses to worship and thank God. Just look at the book of Psalms. But this particular story always stood out to me because it was about a baby that died. Being a mom, it’s hard to imagine anything worse.
How about the story of Job.
Job lost everything…
Job 1:
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.[c]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
We cannot always understand why God allows us difficult times and suffering. Sometimes all we can do is pray, even when we don’t know what to pray. Trust me, He hears you.
We just need to choose to worship and thank him. Let’s start with just the little things?
I want to leave you with these words, the words of encouragement to the church in Thessalonica.
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace to you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
6 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
21 but test them all; hold on to what is good,
You got this mama! Be blessed!
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