Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
2 Corinthians 9:10
Autumn is the season of thanksgiving. It is the season when things that were once filled with life are now dying and are turning to dust. In today’s day and age, with COVID-19 looming over our lives, our ideas of loss have taken new forms. When we once had to simply cope with changing temperatures and the falling of leaves, we now have to find ways to cope with the anxieties of a global pandemic. Why in this redefined season of loss, are we met with the expectation to gather together to express gratitude? More importantly, how are we expected to express gratitude?
When one door is closed, another one opens.
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians 9:11
Many people approached COVID-19 with a mindset of fear, anxiety, and even anger. This is a reasonable reaction to new changes and frightening new realities. Jobs were lost. Restrictions were placed on our freedom. We could not see our friends or family. New stressors such as finding a way to pay the bills and protecting our loved ones entered our lives. With new forms of loss added to our lives, we suddenly feel empty. We feel as if we have nothing left in our lives. Many of us may think “with nothing left, what is there to be thankful for?”
How about a new perspective?
Before COVID-19, we probably quantified our wealth, values, and priorities by different standards. Your possession of luxury items probably overshadowed the joy you felt going outside without having to wear a mask. The company of our friends and family probably did not matter as much as we thought it did; however, now that we cannot see them whenever we choose to, we find ourselves understanding their value and importance in our lives.
COVID-19 has taken away a lot from us, but it has given us the chance to catch up on the things that we have been putting on the back burner for too long. It has given us the chance to succumb to the silence and face the things that we have been running away from for too long. Have you evaluated your joy? Peace? Your capacity for compassion and love? Wisdom? If you have been struggling to find these things, now is the time to find them. Many see lockdown as the end, but it is only an opportunity for revival. Use this time to renew yourself, your spirit, and your mind.
What about your health?
If you have not taken a new perspective on the value of health, or life in general, then maybe you need to reassess your priorities. Every day that you wake up is a blessing. Every day that you are coronavirus-free is a blessing. These are not things to take for granted. People are fighting for their lives right now, praying that somehow they can walk out of their hospital room.
Unfortunately, many of us have tested positive for the coronavirus or have family members who tested positive. If this is something you have experienced, we at The Melanin Series and Motivating. Academy expresses our condolences and is praying that you or your family member receive a speedy recovery.
In unfathomable moments such as these, it is hard to remain optimistic and list the things that we can be thankful for. Nevertheless, these moments are there. Every breath you take is a victory. The improvement of your symptoms is a moment of triumph. That first negative test you take after initially testing positive is an opportunity for thankfulness.
It starts by choosing to focus on the good that is in front of you.
God gave us the gift of free will. We have the autonomy to decide how we will look at the situations and opportunities in front of us. It is easy to see what we don’t have. Pouting about what we lose is often our initial response. It is understandable to stress out about our changing circumstances, unpaid bills or where your next meal is coming from. We aren’t saying to be willfully blind to the things that are troubling us. Sometimes life doesn’t work that way, and we don’t think God wants it to be that way.
We are saying that in between the moments of struggle and hardship, rest in what is pleasant.
We hope that when you are struggling to get through your day, somehow, you can find peace in what is near. It is by God’s grace and mercies that we are given bountiful blessings every day, from freedom to safety. Ultimately, it is up to us whether or not we want to accept these blessings.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
If we choose to accept these blessings, then give praise! Good health, job opportunities, safety; these things, and other blessings like it, are not guaranteed to anyone. Be thankful.
Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
1 Chronicles 16:23-26
What are you thankful for?
Share the things you are thankful for in the comment section below. We want to hear from you!
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