Isaiah 55:8-9 states For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. ⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Recently Paula Harkey sent me the following e-mail. I’ve gotten her permission to share this Thanksgiving story with you: About 4 months or so ago I found a gold chain in an unpacked box.  It was a rope chain 20 inches,  14  K gold. It was heavy and I didn’t wear it much. I must have missed it when I sold my other jewelry. I didn’t miss it, God tucked it away for me to use at another date. When I had to get another phone because mine died it took some of my extra money. But I had an incredible peace. I decided to take my chain to a jewelry store this morning and I ask if this was worth anything.  He took it and came back with a price. I had prayed for just enough to meet my bills. He said I’ll give you 8.65 dollars and I repeated 8.65. He said no, $865.00.  The tears and praise broke out and another lady and I praised our Lord together. I’m still crying with thankfulness.   

Paula reminds us that in the midst of the hardest of times, God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Holidays can be hard on a grieving widow or family. But Scripture reminds us that although our tears are precious to God we are encouraged to give thanks through, and in spite of the circumstances. There’s an old doo top song written by Neil Sedaka, and sung by the Globetrotters in 1970. The lyrics are just as applicable today as they were 54 years ago: Rainy day bells ring in the chapel, telling the people there’s going to be sunshine, Rainy day bells played by the raindrops sing out a message, Don’t be afraid of the storm. Somewhere the sun is shining through a silver lining, wait and see, say the rainy day bells….don’t let the rain make you unhappy, in just a moment we’re going to be walking in the sun, little gray clouds will cheer up, they’re going to smile and clear up, when they hear those rainy day bells.