Today is Thanksgiving in the States. A day for eating turkey, watching American football, and most importantly for reflecting on all that we are thankful for. I am thankful for so many things, but I am especially thankful for my husband, who has embraced the recovery journey and for the God who has seen us through it.
I remember years when we were struggling to keep our marriage together and to understand the terrible addiction that was threatening to tear us apart. If you are experiencing that struggle in your marriage this Thanksgiving I would like to share this verse with you, a verse that I held on to when I felt we had little to be thankful for and lots to fear.
Psalm 75:1 “We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks for your name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds” (NIV).
I love this verse because it doesn’t promise an instant miracle or suggest that we will never experience pain. It simply reminds us that God is always near.
When we were in the midst of active addiction, there were many days when I wanted to give up on God. In fact, I’m sure there were a few really bad days when I probably did. I would wonder how God could allow this in our marriage, how God could permit such pain in my heart, and how God could be present when I felt so completely alone. If you are feeling this way, be encouraged and give thanks, for God is near. Even when you can’t feel Him or see Him or hear His voice, find peace in knowing that He is near. He promises to never leave you or forsake you, and His light always shines upon you even in the dark moments of your life.
The past ten years with my husband have been rocky at best, but we have come to understand a kind of healing and rest that a few years ago I never would have dreamed were possible. I am thankful today that I can tell of His wonderful deeds. He has blessed us, and we are thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving to each of you!