Attitude of Gratitude II

As we all gather for Thanksgiving our focus will quite rightly be on all the wonderful blessings God has given to us this past year. Many of us will no doubt be thankful for our health, for family, for our marriages, for our homes, for jobs and friends and so much more. Every good and perfect gift comes from God above.

Yet, I wonder if we can also thank God for the hardships. That sees funny to thank God for the difficult times in our lives doesn't it? The Bible tells us though that it is through the hard times, it is through the storms of life, it is through the challenges in life that we grow in our faith. So, even these times in our lives are blessings.

I find that these times demonstrate their inherent blessedness most clearly when we are quite removed from them and are looking back. These times in our lives will most times always be seen as difficult but can we find the nugget of blessings in them? Can we find where God was present and working? Can we see where we have grown in relationship to God and others? Can we see where God has grown us so we can help others?

There is something to be said about giving thanks for hard times. Maybe this Thanksgiving we not only can give thanks to God for all the positive things, but even the trials and tribulations of the past year.