When Giving Thanks Is Hard: Finding God in Difficult Seasons
Life has a way of throwing curveballs when we least expect them. While Thanksgiving approaches and we're surrounded by messages about gratitude and joy, the reality is that not everyone feels thankful right now. Some of you woke up this morning not with "hallelujah" but with heaviness in your heart.
Psalm 137 gives us a powerful picture of what it looks like when gratitude feels impossible. The Israelites sat by the rivers of Babylon, weeping as they remembered their homeland of Zion. They had hung their harps on the poplar trees - their instruments of worship and joy were silent.
Their captors demanded songs of joy, asking them to "sing us one of the songs of Zion." But the people responded with raw honesty: "How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?"
This psalm reminds us of something crucial: faith does not silence grief, and God never asks us to fake joy.
The answer is yes. Just like the Israelites who couldn't bring themselves to sing for their captors, sometimes our hearts aren't ready to shout "thank you." And that's okay with God.
Consider this real story: A man experienced a devastating week where his relationship ended unexpectedly, his son revealed a struggle with alcoholism, a close friend withdrew their support, and his great-nephew was diagnosed with cancer - all within 36 hours. In that moment, he wondered, "What do I have to be thankful for this week?"
First Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to "give thanks in all circumstances." Notice it doesn't say "for all circumstances." We're not called to be thankful for pain, loss, or hardship. But we can find ways to be thankful even while walking through difficult seasons.
The Israelites had forgotten something important about God's presence. When they built the tabernacle, it was to ensure God could dwell among them. But God is not limited to space or time - He cannot be confined to a specific building or relegated to only the "good times" in our past.
Whether your season is cloudy or bright, God adapts His presence to what you need. In darkness, He sends fire to let you know He's there. In overwhelming light, He provides a cloud for protection. He tabernacles with us wherever we go, in whatever season we're experiencing.
Many of us try to rely on past events when God felt closer or more active in our lives. We look at old photos and wish we could return to "better times." But God is not limited to operating only in our past - He can meet us powerfully in our present circumstances.
Sometimes the most authentic worship happens when we're honest about our pain. Just like the Israelites refused to play their instruments for their captors because their hearts weren't there, we don't have to pretend joy we don't feel.
Even if your heart isn't ready to shout "thank you" this week, you can still offer quiet, honest moments of gratitude:
That's still worship. That's still giving thanks. And sometimes that small step opens the door for joy to grow in seasons ahead.
Out of approximately 150 Psalms, most talk about giving thanks, being joyful, and expressing gratitude. But God knew that between Psalm 1 and Psalm 150, there would be times when we wouldn't feel good enough to give thanks.
We're not forced to fake joy in front of our church family. Too often we pretend we're doing okay because we don't want to be vulnerable or appear to be the only ones not experiencing victory.
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