Giving Thanks for the Thorns
1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV
in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
I read a story of a woman who had lost a child during pregnancy due to an accident. Then her husband was laid off from his job. It was nearly Thanksgiving and she was not feeling very thankful. She was angry with God for losing the baby and for her husband losing his job. “Why me,” was what she kept praying, over and over. She went to a florist shop for a table arrangement and the clerk asked if she wanted a beautiful but ordinary floral arrangement or a “Thanksgiving Special.” The clerk told the woman that flowers told a story and asked if the woman was looking for something to convey the idea of gratitude.
The woman blurted out that she did not really have anything to be thankful for. She told about losing her baby and her husband losing his job. She regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."
Just then the bell over the door jangled and another customer walked in. The clerk excused herself and went in the back to get the new lady’s arrangement. She quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses except the roses had been snipped off leaving just the thorny stems. The first woman watched in amazement as the thorn stems were put in a box and wrapped it for the customer who took them and walked out with a cheery greeting.
The woman turned to the clerk wondering if this were a bad joke. After all, who would want rose stems with no roses? The clerk told her that was the “Thanksgiving Special Bouquet." The clerk told her that the lady had lost her father to cancer three years before and she found out her son was taking drugs. The clerk said that that year she had lost her husband and was facing the holidays alone – no husband and no children. "That was when I learned to be thankful for thorns. I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I never questioned Him why those good things happened to me. But when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, "WHY? WHY Me?!" It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith. I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."
The woman thought about that, and said, "I guess the truth is, I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and my husband lost his job and now I'm angry with God." She wiped tears from her eyes and said, "I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life. It's all too...fresh." The clerk smiled through her own tears and said, "Well, my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time."
The woman felt her resentment slipping away and she asked for a dozen long-stem thorns. When the clerk brought the arrangement to her, there was a card on it.
It read:
My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."
This year has had its share of thorns for us. We’ve had some intense moments and had some sad moments and shed many tears this year. But those moments have made the happy moments seem brighter and God feel closer. This year we’re giving thanks for the thorns in our lives.
Stephen Cram November 25, 2012 Colossians 2:8
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8
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