The Bible is hard. Some of it (much of it) is hard to understand. It is full of nuance and connections that are impossible to track. There are parts that seem to contradict itself. Its language and imagery are foreign and ancient. Most of the symbolism is strange—and that is putting it mildly. And, some things you read in scripture are just hard.
You understand what it says—but it is hard. A hard teaching. A hard lesson. A hard word to follow. Lots of scripture is hard because it is so hard to live it out in your life; to live as though it is true.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in every moment—there’s a welcome into the month of November. Right!? I love Thanksgiving. I love the intentional work to be mindful of the blessings you receive. I love that this is your annual eye exam—are they open to see the hand of God at work around you? Cultivating an attitude of gratitude is a noble pursuit. Challenging, sure; but this chasing this is faithful.
The hard part is “all.” All leaves no room for margin. It leaves no stone unturned. Giving thanks in all circumstances removes qualifiers and encompasses the entirety of your day and all your days. All means all.
What does it look like to give thanks for the stuff you want to forget? The moments that left a painful mark on your heart. The memories that still haunt your daydreams. How do you give thanks for the junk of life?
Maybe it starts with an honest assessment of faith. A faith that is linked to a God who doesn’t abandon you. A God who doesn’t walk out on you when, let’s face it, He would be justified in being done with you and me.
Giving thanks in all circumstances, especially the lesser circumstances is about learning to give thanks to the One who holds all of your moments. All of your memories. All of the minutia of your life. And He holds you tight.
It’s for this reason that I love that Thanksgiving comes in the same season as All Saint’s Sunday. The month of November—the month of our eye exam—is bookmarked by remembering our loved ones and our day of Giving Thanks.
And maybe this is the right place to start your giving thanks. Ponder and pray of God’s blessings passed on to you by those who no longer walk among the living but, instead, rest in the Everlasting Arms of our God. How did your loved one give thanks? What would your loved one lift up as a thanksgiving for you? What lessons did your loved one teach you about the “all” of giving thanks in all circumstances?
