Job said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I shall have nothing when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and they were his to take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21 TLB)
It’s so easy to be thankful when things are going my way–
So easy to trust God when my pantry is full and my family safe;
So easy to laugh when pain is something I read about and don’t carry in my heart.
But how can I give thanks and say that God is good when I buried a child? How can my spirit make peace with the truth that God gives AND GOD TAKES AWAY?
True thanksgiving can’t spring from the notion, “it could be worse”. Guilt can’t lead me into the throne room of praise. I can’t drag my broken heart to the table and mumble a makeshift prayer to a God I don’t believe will hear me.
Real thanksgiving rests on the bedrock of truth that it is ALL a gift.
Every moment. Every breath. Everything.
Even pain.
So today I will sit at our table and trust, missing Dominic, but loving the ones still here.
My heart hurts and it is hard but I will bring a sacrifice of praise to the God who gives and the God who takes away.