Still Thankful #3

One of the hardest things to be thankful for is a trial or hardship.  Too many times we tend to thing of those as something less than a blessing.  I was talking with a friend earlier this year who survived breast cancer.  I asked her how it affected her, and without hesitation she answered, “It was the best thing that ever happened to me!”  While that may sound strange at first, I knew exactly what she meant by that statement.  The cancer was not the best thing – the process of dealing with the cancer was the best thing.

Sometimes it takes tremendous personal hardship to come to grips with who we are and, more importantly, who our God is.  If life was just a bowl of cherries or a bed of roses, we would never have any depth to our being.  It is the difficult times that stretch us, teach us, and help us to grow.  I am thankful that my own personal tragedy has allowed me to become stronger as a person, as well as more sensitive to those who are hurting.  I am thankful for a loving God who extends His comfort and peace in my darkest hour.  I am thankful for the promise that one day all tears will be wiped away from my eyes.  Those trials really are blessings in disguise.