Be Thankful and Joyful…

Those people that only know me from my writing on this site often think I must be a real bummer to hang out with at a party; as I chronicle the slow demise of our political system.

You would think I am probably a real buzz kill.

But I think those that know me would say that I like to laugh, I like to have fun and I try to live my life with a sense of joy. Not to mention I have taken a few hits in my professional life of late. Yet most days, I am a pretty happy guy. How do I reconcile that?

Well my sense of joy comes out of my personal relationship with Christ. Regardless of how bad things get in my professional life. No matter how messed up the country becomes…I have been saved by the grace of Christ. I don’t always do the Christian walk right, but I work on doing it right every day and most days with a smile on my face.

Why?

Because I am forgiven and free and I’m confident that I will look on this earthly existence as just a pit stop for my eternal soul; thanks to the grace of Jesus Christ. Christians who mope around all day at the state of things are just not doing it right.  Not that we shouldn’t be frustrated and angry as our nation’s moral and ethical rot. Anger is the proper response when we see lying become a virtue and economic freedom and civil liberties being destroyed every day.

And it doesn’t mean that we should just fold our hands and give up. We should confront evil whenever we can. Turning away and ignoring evil is not a Biblical option.

But what it does means is that as a Christian, we can skip to the end of the book and know the ending. Christ wins and his believers will enjoy an eternity in peace. No one knows exactly how it will come to pass, but it is pretty clear (if you believe the Bible) it will be a bumpy ride getting there. But for now…

Be thankful for all of the blessings you do have. If you are reading this, you likely have a roof over your head, electricity, running water and plenty to eat. Not to mention an internet connection. You likely will be close to family and friends this week. That should make you happy as well.

And the ability to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving celebration puts you well ahead of billions of people around the world who would consider the drabbest of holiday spreads an unimaginable feast. So there is plenty to be joyful about. But if you are a Christian, you should be even more thankful for the gift of salvation. Regardless of your religious beliefs, you likely have a great deal to be thankful for and if you have accepted Jesus as your savior; your heart should definitely not be troubled today…

Or any day.

All of that stuff should put a smile on your face, despite my dire warnings of political collapse. Not to mention a holiday who’s main activities revolve around eating delicious food and watching football is a pretty special blessing!

What is NOT to be thankful for?

In that vein, I will be taking a few days off to enjoy the holiday. So step away from the political fight for a few days and find some real joy this holiday season.

Chip Tarbutton