Thanksgiving – Is There More?
Praises of Thanksgiving easily roll off many of our tongues as we sit around feast-laden tables on turkey day:
“Lord, thank you for my loving family and friends, my job, plenty of food and for a warm home. Thank you for the many blessings you have bestowed on me.”
But, is there more to this annual celebration? What IF there is no loving family? What IF “plenty of food” is only a vision of sugar plums dancing in someone’s dreams while his/her stomach voraciously growls with hunger? What IF there is no job, no warm home, and blessings seem as far away as the east is from the west? There has GOT to be more to Thanksgiving.
“God has made me fruitful in my suffering.” Genesis 41:52.
What profound words spoken by Joseph from the Old Testament book of Genesis – yet how many of us think about “fruit” when we are struggling just to get through one more day? I bet Joseph wasn’t thinking about fruit when his brothers sold him to a traveling caravan that carted him off to Egypt. I’ll bet fruit was far from his thoughts when he ended up in prison through no fault of his own. (Read Joseph’s story in Genesis 37-47).
However, his fortunes changed. After many years and divine interventions, Joseph became a high-ranking official in the Egyptian government second only to Pharaoh. He married, had two children, and named the second on Ephraim which means “fruitful”.
Despite all his hardships, Joseph endured and recognized the harvest God sowed into his life. Sometimes it is hard to give thanks for suffering, but Joseph made the connection and glorified God. So, why should we praise God for things that make us hurt and cry out in agony?
Suffering helps us mature. God loves to grow the whole person. What good is it if He leaves holes in the character and souls of those He has redeemed? Joseph started out as an arrogant type of punk who flaunted his favored position with his dad in front of the brothers who, as a result, orchestrated his unplanned trip to Egypt. Thankfully Joseph’s suffering in the foreign land grew him in many areas, one of which was humility. Joseph leaned on God, refused to host a perennial pity party, and rose to great status. What wonderful fruit.
Suffering is the testimony of God’s work in our lives. If everything we experienced was “fluff n’stuff” why would we need miracles? Miracles help our awe of God grow! Miracles draw many unbelievers to God! It was a miracle that Joseph was able to translate dreams in prison. It was a miracle that a snot-nosed, foreign kid acquired such a powerful postion to save a nation, and give God the glory. Joseph’s testimony still speaks volumes today.
Suffering ushers us into a place where God needs us physically and spiritually in order to benefit others. Many people would have died during the world-wide famine that struck during Joseph’s lifetime. But, due to his unexpected trip to Egypt, his tenure in prison, and his ability to translate dreams, Joseph ended up in the palace. Then he translated the Pharaoh’s disturbing dream and saved the nation . . . and many surrounding people . . . from certain devastation due to lack of food. God worked it so that Joseph was in the right place at the right time. God also made sure that Joseph was prepared with the right attitude when his brothers came looking for food. Joseph received them, forgave them, fed them, and joyfully brought a long-separated family back together.
What an amazing story of trials and triumph.
Whether you are suffering as Thanksgiving approaches or are wearing the scars of past suffering, remember that trials sow fruit when we endure. And, even though it’s hard, it’s GOOD to offer God words of thanks. Sometimes the heartiest thanks are born of suffering.
So, there IS MORE to Thanksgiving! It does go beyond turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Although it is a celebration of abundance, that abundance may look different from person to person. However, no matter what it looks like, in all things God is worthy of our praise because there is fruit to be harvested when we have faith, love, and hope.
From the FGGAM family to yours – HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
