An un-traditional thanksgiving

In 2 Corinthians Paul is grateful for these unconventional blessings:

He is thankful for troubles as they prepare us to comfort others

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (NIV) — 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

He is thankful for people who challenge us as that can lead to growth

2 Corinthians 2:5–8 (NIV) — 5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

2 Corinthians 7:8–12 (NIV) — 8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.

Proverbs 27:5-6

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

He is thankful for the struggles in life as they lead us to greater dependence on God

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 (NIV) — 7 Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

“I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me up against the Rock of Ages.”

― Charles H. Spurgeon

No doubt this thanksgiving we were grateful for food, family, good health, jobs but hopefully our thanks doesn’t end with those things.

We are better people, able to minister to others because of the griefs we have experienced.

We are better people because of the painful rebuke of loving, wise believers who exposed to us our sins and shortcomings that we so easily ignore.

We are better people for the trials of life as it brings us to our knees to rely on God and keep our desire for heaven real.

Even in trials God can bring good. To quote Paul in another letter he wrote:

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.