Give Thanks

[409 words] With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us once again, it is good to be reminded to count our blessings—even in the midst of difficult circumstances. The Apostle Paul—who had encountered and endured every form of suffering  imaginable (2 Cor. 11:22-29; 12:7-10)—instructed us to be thankful at all times: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:16-18). Many years later, in the middle of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was counting blessings and taking stock of the good that could be seen even while there was so much pain and chaos transpiring throughout the country. On October 3, 1863, in a proclamation that is often viewed as the beginning of the national holiday of Thanksgiving Day, President Lincoln issued: “No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great…