Thankful In Spite Of

As the temperatures drop and the Christmas music begins to play, the feelings of happiness will grow for many persons. On the other hand, these same happenings will bring about feelings of anxiety and depression for others.

I do not care what anyone says; there is no Christmas like a Bahamian Christmas. No other place on earth does Christmas dinner, has the rhythmic beat of Junkanoo, and a festive evening with family and friends at the carnival on the level that we do. 

Sadly, this year will be different for us all.

But what will separate the ones that feel happy and hopeful from those that are anxious and depressed is simple; the way we view the circumstance.

Philippians 4 verse 6 states “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Verse 19 goes even further in saying “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

Let’s see why these two verses highlight the important fact that “your perspective matters.”

1. We have a God that is listening to our every groan. He hears our cries and is there to comfort us.
2. It makes no sense to worry when God is working on our behalf. He owns “the cattle on a thousand hills,” and there is never a lack in heaven.
3. He handles our needs. We will never be without food, water or shelter. But consequently, many of our unnecessary wants are of low priority to him.
4. Lastly, after we have asked and prayed, we must be thankful and grateful to Him. This Is the key; a heart of thanksgiving can allow you to see the glass half full while others view it as half empty.

To this day, I still remember one of the hardest Christmases my family has ever faced. Around 11 am on Christmas day, my mother sent my nephew and me to the local convenience store for a can of corned beef and a small bag of white rice. That year we ate Fire Engine for Christmas dinner.

It was disheartening, at the moment, because it was not usual. My mom was a single mother and worked several jobs to make ends meet. It became clear to me that we were in a rough patch.

Now that I am a little older and wiser, I look back and view this as the most memorable Christmas that I have ever had. We did not go hungry and I am still here to tell the story of the year that our needs were met.

Being “thankful despite” is not easy. As humans, we have a tendency to want to not feel less than the crowd. This is why many of us are drowning in debt and stress but smiling to keep up appearances to the Jones, Smiths, and Rolles. 

Being thankful requires us to keep our eyes on God, knowing that he will never leave or forsake us. My hope is that you exhibit an attitude of gratitude in whatever situation you may face this Thanksgiving and Christmas season.