Give Thanks?!

I wasn’t going to write a journal entry today.  I reasoned, not to bother people, to let them enjoy their thanksgiving.  Then God spoke to me this morning.  He reminded me that people loved and miss Nate just like I do, even today.  Maybe especially today.  God reminded me that this journal is for me, it is for my family.  It is for all of us who love Nate. 

Then God brought to my mind this verse from the Bible…. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Like so much of the Bible it is easier to memorize than to live out.  It is easy to live out in the good times, but to really Give thanks in EVERY circumstance?! How?

I must first make the explanation and disclaimer.  God does not tell us to Give thanks for everything.  God does not demand we give thanks for every circumstance, but “IN”, in the midst of every circumstance.  Like the Casting Crowns song, I Will “Praise You IN the Storm”. 

This command is for us.  It is not to say that everything is good, in life, because this side of heaven nothing is ever totally good, the world is full of brokenness, of this we are even more keenly aware in this time. 

My world is shattered, I would give anything to have my son back.  Though I lived first for Christ, my world still revolved and revolves around my family.  My dream was to be successful enough to be able to live and work with my family, to buy more property close by, to expand and diversify our operation so that I could keep my sons close if they so choose. 

Just the other day as Nate and I worked together I told him.  “I enjoyed working with you today, Nate, it was fun. This is what I want this is what I am working for.”  Of course, I wonder if I was smarter, a better businessman, if I was more successful, if I could have paid him more maybe he would still be here…..

 But I know I have done the best I can with all that I have been given.  And it was the darkness that took Nate.  The darkness alone, the darkness that blinded him to all that life had for him to the future he could have still had on this earth.  It was nothing I did, it was nothing You did or didn’t do, it was nothing we said or didn’t say.  It was the darkness….

But on this Thanksgiving Day, how do we; How do I “Give thanks in all Circumstances”? 

Because God knows the only way to survive this, is to remember that though the world is broken there is still good in it. 

Today I give thanks that I was given the honor and privilege by God to be the father of such a wonderful young man.  A man that truly can be described as “A man after God’s own heart”!  I had a role to play in that, though I cannot take all the credit, some of his excellence is in spite of my shortcomings, and because of the grace of God in his life. 

I am thankful for all the people who have surrounded me and loved on me in this hard time.

I am thankful for all the prayers. 

I am thankful for the meals and the help. 

I am so thankful, my wife and I both are, for all the people who shared memories at the funeral yesterday.  Especially to the Nate’s friend and fellow classmates.  To each and every one of you I am So proud of you for standing up in front of all those people and speaking from your hearts!  I encourage you from 1 Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

I am thankful for the handful of friends that came and helped with barn work last night.  We love you.  We appreciate you, each and every one of you. 

So today.  Even if your heart is heavy remember to give thanks because we still do have so much to be thankful for and if we forget that we will be crushed. 

So think about Nate and when you do….

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble (about Nate), whatever is right(about Nate), whatever is pure(in Nate), whatever is lovely(about Nate), whatever is admirable(about Nate)—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy(about Nate)—think about such things. Because there are many.

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