When Thankful Feels Like a Cliche
Everywhere around people are touting thankfulness and blessing and fa-la-la, but sometimes deep down inside it all feels fake.
Maybe you’re in the middle of a heartache. The kind that you feel deep into your bones that makes you wonder how anyone in the world is smiling. You go about your day, your week, your life, aching from the inside out.
And then someone sees you. They see your hurt and your pain and they want to help you and take it away. So they say something.
God won’t give you more than you can handle.
And all you can think is that He must not know you very well.
You can do all things in Him.
And all you can think is that you don’t even know where He is.
Be grateful in all things. It’s how He makes us stronger.
And all you can think is that you’d rather be weak.
All truth. Every word. But somehow you are left with a stinging cheek instead of a mended heart. But you can’t say that, can you? So you come up with something else. And it usually involves a thank you.
But sometimes even beautiful words taste bitter and good intentions can hurt.
So, for you who is in this place of deep soul aching this holiday season, I tell you it’s ok.
It’s ok if you don’t feel thankful.
It’s ok if you don’t feel comforted by the words, even if you know they are true.
It’s ok if you would rather scream than smile.
Sometimes we are all in a place where life feels hard and we can’t find an escape route. But one truth I know is that you are not alone. When the ache threatens to pull you into yourself and the fears surround you know that you are not alone.
