Thanksgiving

Sometimes I can be a bit of a grinch/grouch. Actually, most of the time I am a grinch/grouch, I just am usually able to control myself. For instance, a friend of mine just updated his Facebook and Twitter statuses with a comment about how Boise State or TCU, so-far-undefeated teams from weaker College Football divisions, possibly beating 1-loss SEC teams out of a trip to the national championship would be ridiculous. Did I say what I wanted to say? No. I wanted to say that it's even more ridiculous that he's complaining about college football on a day commemorated to be thankful for what we have. To my knowledge, Thanksgiving isn't a "Christian" holiday like Christmas or Easter, but it is a day when we really should stop for a bit and just be thankful for the things with which we have been blessed. Sure, everybody has stuff they can complain about. The truth is, we live in an imperfect world where instinctive desires will only be teased and corrupted. Would I like certain things in my life to be different? Yes. Would I like certain relationships to go in certain directions? Yes. Am I blessed so far beyond what I could ever possibly deserve? Yes. Complaining on Thanksgiving is foolish and a waste. This is ironic seeing as how I complain more than most people combined, but I admit that I am an idiot who is daily in need of redemption and sanctification.

The above part was written this afternoon. I am writing this next part at 9pm.

God works in very ununderstandable ways. Just when I've got plans for something, things change. Just when I fear some things will go one way, they go another. Just when I hope one thing will happen, something else does. However, God continues to be in control and more often then not I can visibly see how I am better off because of the situation. The saying "the best laid plans of mice & men often go awry" has been on my mind a LOT in the past month or so, due to unexpected illnesses, planned out days with people going completely different, and other various situations changing. The longer I live, the more I realize how little control I have over much of anything in life. However disheartening my lack of control can be at times, God never seems to let me get too dismayed before reminding me of Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
A lot of people take that verse out of context and use it for some sort of prosperity gospel, but the header of the section of the NIV version says "Present Suffering and Future Glory," so this seems more on par with Philippians 4 where Paul is talking about learning to be content in every situation. I was looking through my Bible this morning for some sort of passage that had to do with thanksgiving and I came across that passage. More people take Phil. 4:13 out of context than any other passage. You can apply it to your Tim Tebow inspirational speeches all you want but Paul was talking about being content in the midst of the good and the bad situations in life ("I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty"). It should be easy for me to be content because I am immensely blessed in so many aspects of my life, yet my selfish heart still finds things to be envy after, things I think I "need" but in reality only "want." The idea of want and need is another topic for another day.

Long story short, God has called us to be content in every situation of life and that is something I need to continue to strive for throughout each and every day.