Even in the Midst of Turmoil - Give Thanks

November 7, 2025

Turmoil and Giving Thanks? At first thought, these two concepts seem worlds apart. Yet for those who know God, they can exist together in a powerful way.
 
Our nation is walking through a season of turmoil and uncertainty. This year has brought job losses, service cutbacks, shifting leadership, and for some, even the loss of certain privileges we once held dear. Yes, turmoil is real — yet even in the midst of it, God remains constant. And it is in that constancy that we find our reason to give thanks.

We give thanks not because everything is right, but because God is still righteous. We give thanks not because life feels certain, but because His promises never fail. In every storm, His hand still holds us steady. In every loss, His love still covers us completely.
 
No one can cause the sun to shine or the flowers to bloom.  You may know what time you went to bed but only God knows when you went to sleep. These are reminders of who is really in control.  Since we know who is in control, use this month to focus not on turmoil, but expressions of God’s love. We can express His love through giving thanks and giving His love to others.
 
Each day in November vow to find a way to encourage someone. It can be a neighbor, a coworker, or a total stranger. I promise that if you bless others, you will feel blessed no matter what is going on in your life. Take flowers to someone in the nursing home to brighten their room. Pay for someone’s morning coffee if you stop to buy some for yourself. Allow someone to step ahead of you in the grocery line. Call someone who has recently lost a loved one and let them know that you are thinking of them. The holidays can be difficult for those who are grieving.  Send a card to someone who is struggling with a chronic illness. Your card can be a reminder that God still cares about them and so do you.
 
Doing these simple things are ways to express God’s loving presence in the midst of turmoil. The song says, “Every day is a day of Thanksgiving.”  Your encouraging gestures can remind others that this is true – no matter the circumstances.

God works through ordinary people. Allow Him to use you.
 
"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17)

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24)
 

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