Giving Thanks in All Circumstances

This is HARD.

Throughout scripture, we are told to give thanks in all things. Even the hard things. But knowing we are to do this and actually doing this are two very different things. I'll be the first to say that I am by no means perfect at this. In fact, I would say that, in a lot of things, I'm pretty bad at it. But, God has shown me a few things through some pretty cruddy circumstances over the years.

Almost 20 years ago endured one of the most difficult things a mom can face...I lost my child when he wasn't even four months old. He was actually taken from me by his father, so I actually lost a lot more. There are a whole LOT of details that I'm not going to go into now but, needless to say, my world came crashing down and I was utterly destroyed. During those first few days, as I was crying out to God, I remember begging God to just use it. No matter the outcome, just use the situation for His glory.

There's been a LOT that has happened in this situation since that lonely, awful night almost two decades ago. But I can tell you for 100% certain that God HAS, and continues to use that situation. If you let Him, He will use your struggles and painful situations as well.

Some ways he has used me is in support of others that have lost a child/children. There is really something unique about the grief that comes from mourning someone that is still living. It's something you can't understand until you have lived it. This is especially true for mourning a child that is still alive, whether that child is yours by birth or not.

There's an acquaintance friend that didn't really know my story that I have tried to support When I did have the opportunity to share with her some o the details of what God has brought me through she looked at me and said something along the lines of "I always wondered how you know just what to say. Now I know. You've lived this."

On occasion I'll be trying to give support from a distance and Greg will look at me and I'll be crying. He'll give me a gentle squeeze because he knows. He knows that I don't cry for me. I cry for what they are going through. I cry for the pain I know they are walking through and experiencing. Because I've been there. Don't get me wrong, it still hurts. I still mourn. But those wounds aren't as deep now because I've experienced much healing. But I remember those first birthdays when it felt wrong to celebrate without him but it also felt wrong not to celebrate at all. I remember the first holidays when a piece of my heart was missing and it was all I could do to be joyous for my other kids. Frequently I had to retreat for part of the day so I could cry and let the pain out. I still have a piece of my heart missing but the grief no longer is all-consuming. I have God to thank for that.

So, I have learned to be thankful for my grief. Because that grief allows me to be there in a unique way for others that are now experiencing similar things. All of my hard and difficult circumstances have allowed me to be there for someone else when they needed understanding and empathetic support. My prayer has been answered. God uses my pain for His glory. So I can be thankful for that pain. Because isn't that the chief purpose of the Christian? To glorify God?

Have you learned to be thankful and give praise for your trials? If not, I challenge you to do so.

Do you allow God to use your trial to bring Him glory? If not, I challenge you to invite Him to do so.

Both are incredibly healing.