Living Gratefully is sometimes hard

This is the season for "Thanks" here in America, isn't it? Next week we will be celebrating our national holiday of Thanksgiving. People will be gathering all over the country reminding each other of all the things for which they are thankful in their lives.

The problem with that is; that not everyone is in a thankful mood. There are many, many people who have had to deal with tragedy and loss. They are dealing with the loss of family members, the loss of friends, the loss of jobs, the loss of homes, cars, and things that cannot be replaced. Some of us despair over the condition of our county and the loss of moral values in our government and our society in general.

Sometimes it is difficult to "Be Grateful," in general; much less live gratefully all of the time. How do we cope? How do we not read the words of Paul in Philippians 4:4, where he says: "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice," and not, at times, feel resentment?

Are we wrong to feel discouraged? Are we wrong not to go around smiling and laughing all the time? Honestly; I don't think we are wrong for having emotions and feelings which are not always in line with rejoicing. We often see Jesus as he is weighed down with the unbelief of the Jewish nation sorrowing and weeping. If you are human, then sometimes you are going to hurt.

I believe that, even though he wrote the words above, the apostle Paul sometimes had trouble rejoicing "Always". How many times did he chastise those who hurt the cause of Christ? How often did he warn that judgment is coming to those who fail to hold onto their faith and serve Satan? Really, do you think he rejoiced in doing that? I don't!

I believe that the point Paul was making is that we must never lose sight of the promise of our hope in the future. Yes, sometimes it's difficult to rejoice or to be thankful, but that is only until we remind ourselves that this world is only temporary and that all loses on earth don't really matter eternally. Our live is more than just the daily grind, pain and loss we suffer here; it is the hope for the future in which we rejoice! When I remember that, I honestly can rejoice always (or in all ways), because I remember the eternal promise of God.