The airport had lost Vanessa’s luggage. It was a mad house, and she was exhausted. Headed home to Atlanta for Thanksgiving, nothing about her trip had gone as planned. She murmured to herself in utter disgust, “Why does this always happen to me.” Seven hours delayed, frustrated, and still waiting with others for more information about her bags, she stole a small space near baggage claim where she could call her mom without being shoved or rushed. With her purse slung across her body, and her carry-on glued to her right arm, she took a breath, finagled her phone and pushed, “MOM”. She was missing the pre-thanksgiving family gathering that started three-hours ago. Acquiescing to an unrelenting delay, she had told her mom earlier to start things without her, and she would call when her flight landed. There was no answer. She tried again, and again, but still no answer.
Aggravation, disappointment, and exhaustion were brewing a heavy concoction. It was in her throat, and she felt the weight of it rising through her face. Her eyes began to water, and she sniffled. The reality that full-blown water works at the baggage claim of all places were about to hit snapped her back into consciousness. Vanessa clandestinely swiped her eyes, gathered herself, and just as she was about to dial her mother again, a thought popped into her mind. “I’ll rent a car.” And off she went.
She prayed that a car would be available, and after it was secured and her baggage was located at another terminal, Vanessa allowed herself a few minutes of calm before bracing Atlanta traffic. Her Uncle Charlie’s face flashed across her mind as she took a left turn off the ramp, and she couldn’t help but smile. She knew she was home when she heard his laugh. He was always teasing them all, and boy could he sing. He loved her mom’s sweet potato pie, and Vanessa could almost taste it as she savored the thought of sitting at the table with a big ol’ slice of it and a tall glass of ice-cold milk. She was happy to be home, and a delayed trip gave way to an even deeper gratitude for how richly God had blessed her.
God always makes a way, and He never fails. When we forget this, life has a way of slowing us down so we can remember it. The more we learn about God through His Word, the deeper our well of gratitude should become. But so often, we focus on ourselves and on what we don’t have instead of being thankful to God for what we do have. We get caught up with the hiccups and mishaps of life, and we spend so little time mediating on God’s goodness and thanking Him for all He has done. Ephesians 1:5(NLT) says, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Our Heavenly Father is the One True Living God. He’s the Creator of all that we survey. His power is unequalled and has no end, and He has chosen us, mere mortals, to call His very own.
John 3:16(NKJV) tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Our Heavenly Father made us His children through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and He tells us in Ephesians 1:3 that He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings because we are united with Jesus Christ. Even if we lived ten million years, it still would not be long enough to repay Him for His kindness towards us. And if we lived seven times that, we still would not have reached the depth of God’s love. He’s awesome and amazing, and our response to Him should never be less than overwhelming faith and gratitude.
When things don’t go as we plan, many of us become upset and allow a bad attitude or disappointment to take us away from a grateful heart. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18(NLT) tells us, “16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” God doesn’t expect us to give thanks for tragedies. He expects us to give thanks for His delivering power and ability to bring us through any situation victoriously. He wants us to give thanks for salvation and the Holy Spirit who lives inside us. And He expects us to give thanks for all the things He has accomplished for us through the life, sacrifice, and resurrection of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. God’s goodness never ends. His love endures forever, and for this and so much more, come what may, we must be thankful that He’s forever our God, and we’re forever His children. ∎
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“Thankful and Blessed”, written by Reverend Fran Mack. Edits by Kim Times and K. Stephens for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2023. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.