Life is full of seasons (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).
The Bible says there is a time be born and a time to die. And in between there are seasons to laugh and dance but there are also seasons to mourn and weep. It's easy to be thankful when we're experiencing the joys of life but what about the seasons where there seems to be no reason to laugh or dance?
What comforting about the word of God is that we are told that we will experience the sorrows of life and that it's ok to mourn. Why? Well James 1:1-3 says that we can count these seasons as a reason to be hopeful because this is where God refines our faith and proves it to be steadfast. While our feelings may tell us otherwise, we can look to the pure word of God to comfort and secure us.
This year has been a season of mourning for me. I lost both my grandparents in a matter of 3 days and a month later, a dear friend of the family was gone. In fact, today is the 4th month anniversay of my beloved grandmother'spassing. Death came swiftly and soon my family's life was tossed around like a wave in a stormy sea.
But as I reflect back on that season of trials and sorrow, I realize that in light of God's nature and His holy word, I have much to be thankful for. If we are in Christ, we dont have to blindly question why these things happen. We know that His purposes are always for our good and His glory. And if we know this, we should be thankful that he uses ALL things-the good, the bad and the ugly, to bring us closer to Him and to put His glory on display. All we have to do is look at the cross and realize that in the gospel, what seemed to be a reason to mourn and weep was actually a reason to rejoice. Christ had to endure great suffer and die so that we might be reconciled to Him.
So if we are God's children, be thankful in all things and know that even in seasons of great difficulties, God's purposes are always good and He is always faithful.
The Bible says there is a time be born and a time to die. And in between there are seasons to laugh and dance but there are also seasons to mourn and weep. It's easy to be thankful when we're experiencing the joys of life but what about the seasons where there seems to be no reason to laugh or dance?
This year has been a season of mourning for me. I lost both my grandparents in a matter of 3 days and a month later, a dear friend of the family was gone. In fact, today is the 4th month anniversay of my beloved grandmother'spassing. Death came swiftly and soon my family's life was tossed around like a wave in a stormy sea.
But as I reflect back on that season of trials and sorrow, I realize that in light of God's nature and His holy word, I have much to be thankful for. If we are in Christ, we dont have to blindly question why these things happen. We know that His purposes are always for our good and His glory. And if we know this, we should be thankful that he uses ALL things-the good, the bad and the ugly, to bring us closer to Him and to put His glory on display. All we have to do is look at the cross and realize that in the gospel, what seemed to be a reason to mourn and weep was actually a reason to rejoice. Christ had to endure great suffer and die so that we might be reconciled to Him.
So if we are God's children, be thankful in all things and know that even in seasons of great difficulties, God's purposes are always good and He is always faithful.
