Giving Thanks For 2020

Have you ever thanked God for THIS year?

I mean, truly. Are you thankful for all that God has done in 2020? I know you’re probably thinking, how in the world can we be thankful for the coronavirus? How can we be thankful for the division that is happening in our country? How in the world can we be thankful for all those who have died even outside of the virus? How in the world can we be thankful for THIS year? Is there anything to actually be thankful for?

Think back on your life. I’m sure certain years pop into your head. Years that were filled with utter bliss, such as the year you got married or the birth of one of your children. Now fast forward to this year. What are you thankful for? Are you able to find gratitude in any of it?

My friend, I think we need to take a step back. The media is forcing us to interpret life through their lens and it is a DARK lens. The world is telling us to interpret life, in the here and now, as the end-all. And how easily, we succumb to the viewpoints of those around us! But have you ever thought about taking a step back and THANKING GOD FOR THIS YEAR?

What are you thankful for?

I’m thankful for…

~ The reminder of how precious our families are…especially when we couldn’t see ours. Remember those days?

~ The reminder of how precious time with our little family of 3 is…I’m not sure we will ever have that much time together as a family again.

~ The gift of health…everyday we are given breath, is a day to be thankful for. A day to give glory to Him alone and to make His name know.

~ The opportunity to go to school…even though the school year doesn’t look like we had hoped, we are thankful for the gift of education and being IN school.

~ The gift of creation…the amount of walks, hikes, and reminders of the beauty of God’s creation, has been extra evident in this time of life. Just think about all of the rainbows we have seen in West Michigan in October alone!

~ The joy of eating meals together as a family. Being a “young” family, in the sense of having only a 5-year-old, this isn’t a huge issue with schedules, yet, but I’ve heard more people comment on the time they’ve spent around the dinner table. It is invaluable.

~ The reminder that our citizenship is not here on this earth, but in heaven.

~ That this is not “the end”, but the “the end” is only just beginning…

~ The reminder that it’s the simple things in life that are the most important. The things that money CAN’T buy.

~ How we are not in control of our lives and that GOD numbers our days. NOT a disease.

~ Live life to the fullest because NOT ONE person knows when their last day is.

~ Because of COVID, I’ve been able to reconsider the things I truly love in life and the things I truly love to DO in life. I’ve been able to weed out the unimportant and focus on what God is calling me to do.

~ That priorities are worth keeping straight.

~ That gratitude is an important aspect to implement into everyday life. There is TRULY always something to be thankful for. And in choosing gratitude, it completely changes the framework of a day.

~ And finally, where my HOPE lies. Where does your hope lie? Hope in a cure? Hope in a vaccine? Hope that God will spare you from the evils of this world? Brothers and sisters in Christ, nothing, I mean NOTHING of this world will bring us the hope our souls long for. Our only hope, the one that will last for eternity, is that in Jesus Christ. Like I said, our citizenship is not here on this earth. This is NOT our home. As much as we try to make it the most comfortable, life-fulfilling life, this will NEVER feel like home because if you believe in Christ, He is preparing a MUCH better place for you. One that you can’t even imagine.

So today, let’s be thankful for 2020. We know that this is just a blip in time and in the end, this is just preparing for a much greater purpose and home – which is that in heaven. Hang onto hope. Hang onto Christ. For this is only temporary. CHRIST is forever.