20 Reasons to be Happy About 2020
I'm sure that I’m not alone in saying that we’re all ready to turn a page on this past year. But before we do, let’s honor the biblical command to give thanks in all things. Consider 20 reasons to be thankful to God in 2020. (And add a few of your own reasons in the comments below!)
1. You are alive!
Begin with the basics. We can’t take life for granted. Each time your heart beats or your protons and neutrons continue to swing around each one of your atom’s nucleuses (sp?), you can thank the Lord Jesus for holding you together by the Word of His power. Each heart beat, each thought is a new gift from above.
I’m reminded of a friend who has had an extremely difficult seven years who recently shared this thought with me from Ecclesiastes:
“For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion” (Ecclesiastes 9:4).
Ok, so you don’t feel like your strength was like a lion this year. But at least you are alive. If you are alive you have hope in the future.
2. In Christ, you have eternal life.
And what if you die? We’ve often talked about this together. The death that many are fearing is actually the beginning of life for the Christian. And it is where you will have fullness of joy (See reason 17). Thank God today that you are born again to a life that will never end in spiritual death.
3. You have so much stuff.
If you are in the US, you are extremely wealthy… I’m going to use the technical word “stuff” for the wealth of nations.
Our law-makers are discussing handing out $600 to each person in the US. According to international poverty statistics, 3 billion people in the world live on less than $2.50 a day. As you do the math, you find out that this second round of checks equals 240 days of income for half the world--nearly their annual income. Be thankful for the $600 (reason 21?), but even more where you live on a hurting earth.
I know you can raise different objections to this fact due to cost of living and whatnot. But, as you consider your troubles for COVID-19 in 2020, consider half the world that is dealing with this during even more strenuous conditions in life. For them fever is normal.
4. You are a joint-heir with Christ.
And yet, for the Christian, what we have is so much greater still. The stuff of life is static drowning out the beautiful “stuff” we have in Christ -- our spiritual wealth. Remember that all that is Christ’s in the kingdom of God is yours. As Paul thinks about the suffering of the present world, he remembers that we have an amazing spiritual inheritance.
“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:16–18).
5. God’s grace is sufficient - Grace for the COVID thorn.
At times, our afflictions tarry too long for us to carry. And at that point, we turn to God for more grace, “grace instead of grace.” When we feel like the grace poured out to us to bear has run out, more grace continues to come. God’s grace is available to you this year. Continue to wait, and trust His grace (2 Corinthians 12).
“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness’” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
6. God’s strength is exhibited more in times of your weakness.
Paul continues in that passage to thank God for his trial. He finds contentment in his affliction, because in that affliction God produces greater strength than in Pauls’ strong times. God gives you greater strength in your times of weakness than in your times of strength. So we thank Him for the trial as well as the strength to carry the trial. I’ll put it in a somewhat grammar laden equation: With God, our dog-year-strength > our lion-year strength. So we are content with 2020 or 2019.
“Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake’ for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
7. You had food and clothing this year.
We do have so much stuff, and yet, when Paul talks about what we should be content with, he states:
“If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:8).
A little earlier in this year we were wondering if the food would continue to make it to our shelves. Thanks to God for allowing us to continue to eat.
8. You have flavorful food to eat.
I’m reading a book that surveys the history of salt and am struck with this truth. It may seem petty to you, but it is a blessing to have flavorful food. The fact that I can have salt on my boiled egg gives me a heap of reason to thank God this year.
Yes, not only do you have food, you have a variety of food in vegetables, meats, and even pastries and chip-like things which millennia of people only dreamed of. When it comes to food variety, we are like the children of Israel in Egypt, not in the wilderness. We are spoiled.
9. You have clean water.
Our physical lives are sustained by water and we were able to drink liters of it every day in 2020. Others died for lack of food and water.
10. You have spiritual food.
We should go deeper than our bread and water. As Christ said, “man cannot live on bread alone.” We have the life giving water of Christ, and the bread of the Word of God.
The fact that you can open a Bible is reason to thank God for 2020’s blessings. Each time you opened Gods Word, you can thank God for His blessings.
The fact that many (most?) of you can open your phone and meditate on the full counsel of God in the 66 books of the Bible is an astounding privilege that much of the world does not have and much of human existence has not had.
11. Others Have it Worse
With several of these 20 above, we find our thanks in seeing that we have so much compared with others. Christian, there is an even greater way that you have so much compared with others.
You have Christ. And even when you lose life’s comforts you still have Christ. If others do not have Christ, that is why others have it worse. And that is the fundamental reason… The difference between others having it worse is not those who have been fried to death in a wall’s outlet. The difference is possessing Christ by faith in His Gospel message. Possessing Christ is the reason we can be thankful in all things.
“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18; emphasis added).
12. You have freedom.
If you are reading this, I’m supposing that you have fairly open access to the Internet and fairly open freedom. The fact that I can talk openly about God and His Word, that I can share the Good News openly with others is a treasured possession that we share today that many have never had. Those who don’t have this possession, will continue to share the Good News even when illegal. But you and I have freedom to pursue the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. What a joyful blessing!
Beyond that, as an American, similar to many of the Democracies of the world today, I enjoy the freedom for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” What a basic privilege--and yet something that much of the world is not able to enjoy. I can open a business, walk across the country, start a blog, create, publish news, and so much more in 2021. My limit is my time and resources.
I know there are other limitations at this time because of COVID. But we enjoy so much freedom! Think of all that you are able to do rather than all that you are not able to do. Even in the most strict of lockdowns, your freedoms are truly extensive.
Let’s continue to ask the Lord for wisdom to protect and cultivate this freedom for our children and grandchildren.
13. You have people in your life.
We have God in our life and that is the all-encompassing treasure. Yes! But you also have friends; you also have family; you also have Tim (even if you don’t consider that a blessing).
It hurts that we have lost so many family and friends this year, but that makes us treasure the ones we do have even more. And if we look at this truth even more positively. You have over 7 billion other treasures of God’s creation - each snowflake out there on this globe to get to know and enjoy.
This week I celebrate 20 years of Sarah putting up with me as her husband. What a gift! Let’s treasure each family member, friend, and brother and sister in the church that we possess. They are a means of God’s grace to encourage you in your walk with Him.
14. You have stories to laugh at.
This, perhaps, should be reason 100. But I love listening to and telling stories. So, I’m including it in 20. If we were to look at the world’s history, we live like Solomon in all the entertainment we can binge in an hour. You literally have no limit to nearly any type of clean story or amusement. And most of these stories are told and acted out before you with just a push of the button or a swipe of the finger.
So, yes, we have had to spend much more time in our rooms than previous years. But we have entertainment that rivals Solomon's best at our fingertips.
Caution on that one! Right? With great entertainment comes great responsibility. Let’s not binge-watch away 2021. In fact, I’ll challenge you to take at least one week this New Year and set aside all your screen entertainment. It is a great breather!
15. You have a God Who is in Control
Those who do not know Christ cannot accept, (yes, even welcome) all circumstances in God’s sovereign control. Their circumstances are worse because they do not see them coming from the loving hand of God.
Those circumstances which are out of your control cause you the greatest stress… If you try to control them. But if you can release them into God’s sovereign hands, then you can smile at the storm and rest in the fact that Christ is in the storm with you. He is able to calm all storms.
I’m reminded of Joseph’s perspective on being abandoned and abused by his own family:
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Genesis 50:20).
16. You Can Cast Your Care on Christ. You can pray.
Because you know that God is in control, you can cast your burden upon Him. Those who do not know Christ cannot find in Him a caring shoulder on which to roll life's problems through prayer. Who can bear any of life’s most difficult circumstances? All lives face difficulties. Only Christ is the One to Whom we can appeal and find relief.
Perhaps I’m wrong about this but it seems that beer commercials have been replaced by whisky commercials. And the community service commercials for COVID are replaced with depression or alcohol dependence commercials. This signifies a culture needing somewhere to bear its burdens. A life without Christ goes to alcohol dependence, politics, or something else to find a release. Christian, you have Christ.
Christ has entered humanity and suffered loss. He knows what you are going through and is ready to hear your cry for help. He loves you and is sympathetic to your sorrow. Don’t bear it alone. Don’t turn to a political system, a vaccine, or a drug. Turn to Christ!
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).
17. You have your best life yet ahead of you.
Not only do we have eternal life. Death actually begins our best life. Those who do not know Christ face a Christless eternity. This is the greatest sorrow of this time period. It is not that someone died, but that someone died without Christ. And so, the fear of death for a Christless person is great. Atheists speak very proudly until they reach their deathbed.
It's not just that others lost a family member or spouse. Those are all crushing losses that we must mourn. And yet, if a loved one has moved on to their reward of heaven, then we are saddened that we will not see them for a while, but we are thankful that they are doing very, very well. We do not suffer - “as those who have no hope.” For a Christian, death is that “glorious hope” that we receive - “our reward.”
18. You have not lost your most important possession
We have lost financial gain, jobs, friends, freedoms, entertainments, and experiences this year that we would normally enjoy. But we have not lost our most important possessions.
Perhaps we are reaping the error of a Christian culture that has believed the lie of a health and wealth false-Gospel. That lie is that you come to Christ for health and wealth and not for Christ Himself. You see the lie there? Whereas, according to the Bible, your physical health is not your most important possession. Your family’s physical health is not your most important possession. Your wealth is not your most important possession. They are way down there on the list of what is most important.
In fact, often health and wealth are the very things that keep us from reveling in the gifts that are the best - the gifts of Christ.
19. God loves you.
Perhaps this is another spot where poor theology has hurt our perspective on 2020. At times, we slip into the thinking that bad things only happen because I’ve been bad and God isn’t happy with me. If you are in Christ, God is always happy with you. Your position in the family of God is not based on your works but on the perfect Son of God, Jesus Christ. If you are not in Christ, God is always angry with you. This is the Gospel. Our only acceptance with heaven is in Christ.
When my circumstances are poor, I look at my life and ask the Lord if I have brought upon myself these things because of disobedience to His desires. If so, I repent, and accept the forgiveness of God in Christ. But I know that all along God has loved me in Christ, and His chastening hand on my life (or on my culture) is only from love wooing me back to His side. The sheep that bleats in the thorn-bush does not doubt the shepherd’s care, it fears its wandering and knows that the Shepherd will lovingly mend the cuts and welcome it back to his side.
The cross is the measure of God’s love for me. I see that at all times. And as I see my circumstances in light of that cross. I always thank God for His love for me, in 2020 and in 2019 and in 2120.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
20. Your Salvation is Nearer Now then the beginning of 2020.
Because of Christ, each passing day is nearer the end of my journey as a pilgrim. Perhaps this is the Bible’s greatest correction to a 2020 Thankless Christian.
Why should we expect comfort on earth? Yes, you may have lost comfort this year. I know I have lost physical comforts because of COVID. But I can’t focus on the comfort loss because I cannot live for comfort. As a Christian, I’m living a pilgrimage, walking on to glory where there is fullness of joy. And that fullness of joy is “nearer now than when we believed” (Romans 13:11). And that is the thanksgiving of each year. Each year, no matter what it brings us brings us closer to the end of our pilgrim’s journey.
Along the journey the Lord gives me much to be thankful for, even comforts galore. The Comfort of His Word. The comfort of the Comforter, His Holy Spirit, Who lives in me and manifests the fruit of love, peace, and joy. But the things COVID took are not even the stem on the cherry on top of the comforts that God provides for His pilgrims traveling to His celestial city.
“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own” (Hebrews 11:13-14).
HAPPY NEW YEAR. AND happy OLD YEAR
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Video - Tim
Picture 1 - Ginger styling and profiling with the help of Seth's as wardrobe man.
Picture 2 - Ratih Mandalawangi via unsplashlcom
Picture 3 - Jong Marshes via unsplash.com.
Picture 4 - Sam Balye via unsplash.com
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