Happy Thanconfidence Day

This is probably the best holiday we celebrate all year.  The air is crisp, travel is stress-free, food is great and, so far, it hasn’t been commercialized with Hallmark cards, gift exchanges or fantasy characters.  While our culture may minimalize Christmas to a season of joy and Easter to hope and new beginnings, Thanksgiving seems to have maintained its focus:  gratitude.  

Gratitude, at its core, acknowledges God is the provider of all things, the One who sustains us, protects us, and through the Holy Spirit, is transforming us.  We find it relatively easy to say “thanks” for the physical provisions of God, our food, clothes and shelter.  It is much more difficult to remember He is the provider of our spiritual growth and transformation, often through the burdens of life that cause us stress and anxiety.  As unbelievable as it may seem, God is still providing for us in those times.

Lots of the stuff of life isn’t pleasant.  Suffering of any kind may produce character in our lives (for which we may be thankful).  But pain itself probably doesn’t ignite waves of gratitude.  We know God is good.  We know God is faithful.  We know God “has it under control.”  We know these things.  Being thankful for it all may still be a bit of a stretch.  

Perhaps we can reframe our “thanksgiving” in different terms.  What if part of our thanksgiving was expressed as confidence in God in spite of our circumstances (especially when they are unpleasant)?  We have confidence that His grace will sustain us when we are weak.  His purposes will be accomplished.  He is merciful, loving, and always present.  The stuff of life may scream at us that we are alone, abandoned and maybe even that God (if He exists) doesn’t care.  Don’t be deceived - God is engaged and enthroned.  In Him we can have confidence - always.

So, Happy Thankonfidence Day.  Hopefully you will find some means to remind yourself of God’s goodness - a yummy meal, a turkey coma, a pumpkin-spice latte, a walk with a friend, some music, a good book, or maybe just a nap!  

Look also for those things that assure us of His faithfulness.  Let’s take some time today to rethink, reframe, recast our day-to-day in the context of the Creator God who will NOT abandon us, who remembers our fragility and vulnerabilities, who still holds ALL authority over every detail in HIS created order.  Confidence in God will bring change in our perspective - and for that we truly are thankful.  
 

Happy Thanksgiving!