Bible Verses to Help with Challenging Family This Thanksgiving
Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
When we feel anxious and wonder how something like a holiday is going to go, we can often be robbed of the peace the Holy Spirit desires to give to us. We need to remind ourselves to let Christ’s peace rule in our hearts. Are we allowing fear and worry to rule our hearts or Christ? We are called to peace as His children, and we can be so thankful for this gift from Him. Even if Thanksgiving does not go the way that we hope, we can know that we did our part to live out peace and rely on God.
James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Finally, we need to remember that one of the greatest passages on thankfulness is found in James 1, which is address trials in a believer's life. He tells us to consider it pure joy when we face difficulties of many different kinds. It is in these moments when our faith is tested. Through the trials, God is refining us more into His image. We have the opportunity to be producing perseverance.
The Christian walk is not always easy, we might have a very challenging time with family at Thanksgiving, but it is also a God-ordained time to teach us and grow us into His image. We have the ability to produce good fruit by abiding in Him. That perseverance He is growing in us will be completed so we can become mature and complete in Christ. He reminds us that we lack nothing good from Him.
So if the turkey burns, or the kids fight, or you uncle says something hurtful, or there is an awkward family moment, remember that it is in these times when the Lord can do fresh work in us. He can take the trials and turn them into something beautiful. We can pray for His strength to not only face them with Him but to have gratitude in the midst of them.
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