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.
