Written by Lynn Mosher from Heading Home

Job loss. Foreclosures. High prices. Heartaches. Rejections. Disloyalty. All these lay heavy on the minds of many right now.

So many negative situations come our way. Is it possible to be thankful for those thorns in our sides, those things that interrupt our peaceful living, those things that stab us in the heart, those things that bring us to tears? I know, I know. I can hear you now. “Why in the world should I be thankful for the negative things in my life?”

Well, let’s see. If our lives are in God’s hands, then all that comes to us is filtered through His loving fingers and still in His care. So, are we thankful for whatever may come our way?

Scripture says…

* “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18 TLB)
* “Let the peace of heart that comes from Christ be always present in your hearts and lives, for this is your responsibility and privilege as members of his body. And always be thankful.” (Col. 3:15 TLB)
* “And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, and come with Him into the presence of God the Father to give Him your thanks.” (Col. 3:17 TLB)

Today, I was reminded of a story in the life of Corrie ten Boom. If you’ve never heard of Corrie, when she was a young, Dutch Christian living in Holland, she and her family helped the Jews to escape the Nazis in WWII. Hence, the title of one of her books, The Hiding Place.

After being betrayed, the family was imprisoned in two places, one in which their father died, which was before Corrie and her sister Betsie were sent to the notorious concentration camp Ravensbruck near Berlin.

Life in this camp was intolerable. For one thing, their cabin was infested was fleas, which fed on the prisoners by biting them constantly. However, Corrie and Betsie managed to have a daily Bible study with the other women, many of whom came to the Lord.

At first, they were afraid to conduct these meetings, but each night they became bolder, as no guard ever entered their cabin, which baffled them.

One night, as they read scripture about praising God for all things, Betsie turned to Corrie and said they were going to praise God for the fleas. Corrie absolutely refused. Betsie insisted and Corrie finally gave in. They all got down on their knees and thanked God for the fleas.

Years later, Corrie found a journal of one of the guards that had stood outside their door. He wrote that he never set foot inside their cabin because it was so infested with fleas.

Betsie died while imprisoned. However, when Corrie was eventually released, she found out it had been “a clerical error,” as all the other women her age were killed a week later.

While the apostle Paul was imprisoned, he wrote to the Ephesians and told them, “…making melody with all your heart to the Lord, at all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.” (Eph. 5:19b-20 AMP)

Just some thoughts to ponder at this time of year…

* For what will I give thanks this year?
* Will I be thankful for the “fleas” of my circumstances?
* Will I thank God just for things, things that can disappear in the blink of an eye? My job, my house, my family, my friends, my possessions?
* Or will I be thankful for all God does in my life, for all the little everyday things as well as the big things?
* Will I also be thankful for those things He keeps from entering my life?
* Will I be thankful that He is Who He says He is?
* Will I be thankful for His grace and mercy, His righteousness and justice, His comfort and peace, His supply and protection, His Word, and His promises, His discipline and justice?

With all my heart, I pray for each of you that you will be thankful for the “fleas” in your life and that you have a very blessed Thanksgiving.

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