Thanksgiving Despite
Would you rather be an Olympic silver medalist or a bronze medalist? No-brainer, right? We’d rather win gold than silver; and we’d rather win silver than bronze.
But studies have shown that, on average, bronze medalists are much happier about their accomplishments than silver medalists. People who got second spend way too much time regretting how close they were to winning the gold, while those who took third think about how close they came to not medaling at all!
Life can be lived obsessing on regrets and disappointments. Or it can be lived with gratitude.
Biblical faith doesn’t get any richer than this, as Habakkuk affirms that his faith, his joy, and his thanksgiving don’t depend on the circumstances:
Thou the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior. (Habakkuk 3)
Three hundred years ago a Lutheran minister lost his wife and children to an accident and then lost his sight. He wrote:
My Jesus, as thou wilt! Though seen through many a tear,
Let not my star of hope grow dim or disappear;
Since thou on earth hast wept and sorrowed oft alone,
If I must weep with thee, “My Lord, thy will be done.”
My Jesus, as thou wilt! All shall be well with me;
Each changing future scene I gladly trust with thee;
Straight to my home above I travel calmly on,
And sing, in life or death, “My Lord, Thy will be done.”
It’s easy to be thankful when life goes just as you had hoped and planned. But the deepest expressions of gratitude come when you can see the joy and the goodness beyond the disappointments.
I would rather win gold, streets of gold that is.
Happy Thanksgiving
Loved this one, Mike. Happy thanksgiving!
Rich thoughts, as usual ! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your sweet family!
DU
“Better one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere …”
Thanks for the reminder, Mike. Happy Thanksgiving.
This is a great post, Mike. Thank you.
Seeing the joy and goodness beyond the disappointments…thanks for this Mike.
So true. Thanks for the reminder.