I sit this year with a full heart. But it wasn’t always that way. A few years back, my heart was burdened with a weight I never thought I would lose.
Our family had just come through a very difficult time. Two daughters had significant, different health diagnoses. Both required constant monitoring and awakening in the middle of the night to ensure all was well.
A few years before was the year of the great job layoff.
A few years before that was the year I was diagnosed with a late-stage cancer.
As I reflect back on over 26 years of marriage, and 25 years of parenting, there was always plenty of worry.
If I were to choose, there’s concerns that I could allow to burden my heart even this year.
There are hurts I could nurse and permit to rob me of today’s joy.
But no. I choose Thanksgiving.
Instead of mourning how far away family is, I choose to bask in my grandson’s babble on Facetime. I gleefully enjoy our family group chat over text messages, and laugh at our ridiculous family banter spanning 2,000 miles.
Instead of dreading the arrival of cold weather, I am savoring the unusually warm autumn we are living here in the Midwest.
Instead of chastising myself over all the preparations I should do for hosting the holidays, I am grateful for those making the trip and choose to give myself an afternoon off to spend with my husband before the extended pack arrives. (Something I never would have done previously.)
My life is not perfect. I have concerns for my people, worries for the details of daily life and frustrations for the future.
But I also have a history. A history of walking with God. In every situation we ever faced, He was there. He knew what we needed. And He never failed to provide for our needs. Whether they were physical, material, financial, emotional, or spiritual. He gave us exactly what we needed. Why does that surprise me? He promised just that in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
There were holidays I surrendered my joy and exchanged it for stress. I wasn’t trusting God or claiming that promise.
It got me nowhere.
So today, I choose joy.
I choose to allow myself to savor the smiling faces that traveled far to visit this season.
I choose to pray about the concerns then allow God to take it from there.
I choose to push those worries from my mind as I practice being present.
Because God has it. And while I will always be with Him, I will not always be surrounded by each one I love. I may not always have an opportunity to enjoy the sunrise or the birdsong or the scent of the burning candle. I need to bask in these blissful moments now. And choose to allow Him to carry my concerns.
Maybe your life is almost picture perfect and you have no trouble relishing this season. If so, be blessed and enjoy! But if you’re in a different boat, a place I’ve been more often than not, please know:
1. You aren’t alone.
2. You aren’t stuck in your circumstances.
3. You don’t have to be robbed of your joy.
You can choose thanksgiving. You can choose to allow God to take your burdens, freeing you to enjoy the present. You can choose to have a full heart, even in the midst of challenges.
Maybe you too, need reminded of His promise that He will provide for all our needs. Let’s ask Him for help with just that.
Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank You that You indeed will provide for all my needs. Even my need to be present, enjoy today, and to fully surrender my cares to You. Jesus walked this earth and understands how being human makes it hard to just forget the worries washing through my mind. Thank You Lord that You want to help me with that. Thank You that I can trust You to fulfill Your promise. In Jesus’ name, Amen.