by Lenore Buth
That sounds contradictory, doesn’t it? Who feels like giving thanks during this long slog that has no end in sight?
We’re all in this together and we’re all feeling nervous, a lot or a little.
It may be not knowing what comes next for our immediate family members—and ourselves.
We ask God what about the one(s) without a job and how will they live? Or we tell him how much we wish we could go be with someone who’s facing a health crisis, if only to give them a big hug. But we can’t.
All we can do is wait and pray.
It’s a safe guess that a lot of us start the day and end the day with one thought, one prayer: Please let this be over--soon!
Uncertainty is all around us. What can we grab hold of to steady us? God throws us a rope:
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. –Psalm 46:1*
Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. –Psalm 54:4 NIV
That’s why we can give thanks. He will sustain us through whatever comes. He will carry us through and give us strength for each day. And he is with those people we love, too.
Most of all we can give thanks that Jesus rose again on Easter and he turns our darkness into light.
How will we spend this time? Will we cringe in fear or grow in faith?
Let’s be clear. God is not angry with us because we feel anxious. Our loving Father remembers that we’re only human. Because of Jesus he loves us, to use a common phrase, “warts and all.”
God made us one-of-a-kind and placed us in unique situations. That means there’s no use comparing or grading ourselves on how we face challenges, so let’s all cut each other—and ourselves—some slack.
You are you and I am me. We are all equal before God and he uses us in different ways.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. –Ephesians 2:10*
We never know the value of what we as individuals do or say. Our casual remark or our small gesture may bless another person deeply,
Our “good works” are not to earn Brownie points with God. Rather, when we do or say something kind or encouraging or worthwhile it flows out of who we are in Jesus and shows that he lives within our hearts.
In good times or bad, we hang onto what we know by faith and by experience
God is still God and His Word is still true. The Bible over and over says he loves us, even if or when we feel abandoned. What's more, God doesn't love us because of our shining faith and our perfect life, only because we believe in Jesus.
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us –Romans 5:8*
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. –Ephesians 2:8-9*
We can’t make ourselves any more worthy by anything we do. Jesus paid full price for all our sins[LB1] on the cross. As Pastor Brad often says, that means our salvation in Christ is a done deal.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. –John 3:16-17*
Right now the whole world is churned up and anxious. Nobody knows what comes next. It’s easy to get caught up in that.
[Jesus said] “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33 NIV
When we keep our eyes focused on Jesus we can be at peace—and give thanks, no matter what comes. And we cut ourselves some slack when we slip up, remember?
Here’s to peace and joy in the midst of the mess!
BIO: Lenore Buth is glad to be part of the St. Matthew family and appreciates all the love and support. She has been writing for many years, including newspaper and magazine articles, as well as several books and some study materials for Concordia Publishing House.
She writes a weekly blog post and has kept it going since the summer of 2008. You can check it out at www.awomansview.typepad.com.
*Unless otherwise noted all Bible verses are ESV