“There’ll be times when you wonder how you
can possibly thank (God) for something that turns your life upside-down…Let us,
then, at times like these, give thanks on
faith alone…obedient, trusting, hoping, believing.” So wrote the author Jan
Karon.[i]
Prompt:
Share
an experience in your writing life when you found that to give thanks was
especially difficult—but yet you did give thanks. How did you find your way to
victory? What did God teach you through this experience?
Transforming
Adverse Situations
A number of years ago
while taking a course on memoir writing, I tried
writing an article about my elementary school years. At first all I could
remember was being bullied and ostracized. I was even misunderstood by my
teacher.
Writing that article took a lot of time and I wasn’t getting anywhere. I
felt as though all my writing energy was being sucked into a black hole—a soul
hole. The article had no neat and tidy resolution of someone coming to my
rescue or helping me through it. Even God didn’t seem to comfort me (2 Corinthians
1:3b-4), because at that young age, I hadn’t learned how
to talk to Him in my troubles.
I set the article aside and turned
my attention to other writing.
However, that unresolved story stayed in my mind, needling me like a pebble
in my shoe. I wanted to understand why God had allowed my suffering. Perhaps
like Job, I would never know. I just had to trust that He had a reason. Would
that be enough for me?
I began journaling my questions, reflections and scriptures.
And all the while God
reminded me, “In everything give thanks.”
Now thanking God in everything
has been one of my life principles. God causes all things to work for the good
of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Thanking God clears the clutter of my mind
and spirit from frustration, anxiety or disappointment. Then in quiet moments
He can freely give me His word and. encouragement
Thanking God opens
the door to a more creative attitude.
And thanking God
turns my eyes from my viewpoint to what God has to say to me.
God reminded me that I had to work through layers of forgiveness—forgiving
those who had hurt me and forgiving myself. As I forgave, God gradually healed
me (and is still healing me) of the injuries from what I had missed out on
friendships and in my education.
Some time later, I attended a women’s retreat. As the speaker shared her
childhood story of abuse, she said, “God wouldn’t have given us those life
experiences unless He wanted to use them for His glory.”
Yes! This was the insight I had been seeking. God wants to touch someone’s
life through those experiences.
But God had a further answer for me. I awoke one night with an overwhelming
sense of God’s presence. He was filling me with gratitude for those childhood traumas
and transforming them into things of beauty.
I may never delve into the details of that story. But the details don’t
matter now. What is more important is
that as I surrender my issues to God and thank Him—even where I have been
mistreated—He will accomplish His purposes both in my life and in ministry to
others.
Challenge:
Now it’s time for your blog. To develop your thoughts, follow this link to a
short sermon on the Apostle Paul’s secrets for giving thanks.
