Thanksgiving Prayer for You

From a Gospel.com Blog: Being Still this Thanksgiving

“But God is at work in our world, and if we take the time to “be still” and look for Him, we can see that handiwork.

“Our prayer this Thanksgiving is that each of us might know the reality of a living Savior, that we might have the eyes to see where He is at work in our world, and that we might have the courage to get involved where we see Him working.”

I would revise this prayer for bereaved parents to something like this:

Just like the writer said: be still. Take time to stop and reflect. Think about the blessings that your beloved child brought into your life. Think about friends and strangers who have tried, even if not very successfully, to comfort and encourage you since the child’s death. Think about ways you have known God was with you.

The author also said: Take time …to look for Him. The verbs or phrases he used to describe the action you can take are as follows:

• Know reality. Reality can be very harsh – your child is dead. Your pain is beyond measure. But, in that reality, there are also signs of hope and life – you had the privilege of being your child’s parent for a certain time. You are still breathing which is a sign that God has important projects for you to do. You have a living Savior who knows the sorrows of living in this fallen world.
• Eyes to see. It does take eyes of faith to see Him working. He works to bring a friend across your path at just the right time. He works to encourage you with the exact Scripture or song or idea you need at exactly that moment. He has used you, even as you are just barely functioning, to encourage someone else. He is at work in your life and through your life.  
• Courage. Courage to continue some project or mission your child was interested in. Courage to go up to the next bereaved parent and say words of hope. Courage to seek and build a new life in your new normal. Courage to trust God as He leads you in the days and years to come.

My prayer for you this Thanksgiving is for a quiet (still) heart, eyes of faith to see His presence in your life and great courage to walk along the path as He leads you because He is still building His kingdom and you have a part in that.