Thanksgiving!

Rev. Sudha Mehta©

The Elections are over! I breathe a sigh of relief.

It has been our practice our practice to have prayer at our home every so often with our students who are also our friends. Every election cycle we have a prayer meeting for the Nation, and all the offices up for election. We pray as God expects us to pray. We pray that righteous rulers be elected because:

Proverbs 29:2 2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bears rule, the people mourn.(AKJV)

Last prayer meeting, when all was done, I announced that we would have a celebration, and a thanksgiving prayer time post election in a few days. I would email details to all. Everyone was in a good form, everyone felt we had touched heaven with our requests and we were all unified in what we had requested.

Now that the elections were over, the results were in, I wrote my email and was ready to send it out, when I had a phone call from my friend. I told her about the celebration email, she was a bit surprised, “Celebrate?! but we didn’t get all we asked for . . . ” as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she corrected herself and said “YES!”

We will celebrate and give thanks to the Lord for the answer He has given. We got some affirmatives and some negatives. We are called to give thanks in every circumstance and we shall!

1 Thessalonians 5: 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the Spirit. (AKJV)

There was a time when I was quite young in Christ and new in my walk, that I was so in pain emotionally I got very angry with Him and accused Him of not being a loving and caring God. Like a little girl I declared to Him that had he been a loving God, He would have seen the injustice happening to me, seen my pain and delivered me from the circumstance, or changed it. I was weeping so hard I could hardly breathe. I had a rare encounter with Jesus at that point. I actually felt two strong hands reach out and hold my arms firmly as I heard a voice whisper “Hush . . . I love you!”

It is not easy to thank God in all circumstances, it’s so very easy to whine and complain. I will share with you another such occasion. I needed an answer from the Lord to a particular question. Three days of whining and constant complaining had tired me so that I cried, “I can’t take it anymore, why won’t You speak with me?’ As I paused, I heard my Shepherd, “If you would be quiet before Me I would speak.” Think about it . . . don’t we all tend to do this? Yet He says:

Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted over the earth.”(BSB)

John 10: 27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.(BSB)

adult alone anxious black and white — Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com

Yet another time, I repeated the same behavior! You are correct, I don’t learn somethings as easily as I should. I expected an answer and was complaining and whining like a petulant child. He treated me as such and answered me when I paused. This is what He said: “WAH! WAAH!! WAAH!!!” In those times, I know I do a lot more whining and a lot less listening . . .

Well, I did burst out laughing! I assure you He does have a sense of humor!! And I did repent.

Am I correct in my assumption that you likewise have at times been upset because you didn’t get the answer you wanted, and quickly at that, from our Heavenly Father? Whether it was a material thing, a relationship that left you hurting, a personal need . . . whatever it was, Daddy said “No,” or “Wait,” you were upset. You felt the urgency, He didn’t. Surely in your disappointment you felt it was difficult to thank Him.

Yet, I have learned that giving thanks IN everything though not always easy, is exactly what has pays off. Because I sometimes cried my way into thanking Him, by disciplining myself, I now find showing gratitude comes very naturally. This thanksgiving is what has brought me the peace that is beyond explanation.

Now I know what Jesus meant when He said:

John 14:27 I’m leaving you at peace. I’m giving you my own peace. I’m not giving it to you as the world gives. So don’t let your hearts be troubled, and don’t be afraid. (ISV)

Philippians 4: 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.(NASB)

At times I have had to admit in the midst of very trying circumstances that I do not understand why I am NOT upset, agitated, worried etc. Worry doesn’t come to me like it used to anymore. Bad news doesn’t shake me like it before. You see, if I did understand this peace, then it wouldn’t be His peace! Interesting, isn’t it?!

So should we thank God only when we get all we ask for? No, even when elections get mixed results, troubles and trials come our way, or sleep doesn’t come easy, when hearts are broken or people disappoint, when children rebel, jobs are lost, and bills come due, when outgo is more than income, when death or sickness come knocking, . . . we praise Him, and thank Him for being in control and for bringing solutions our way by faith! Apparently He knows better, and that is good.