The 4^th Thursday of November ushers in a wave of thankfulness. In the spirit of thanksgiving, our gratitude overflows. When blessings abound, we give thanks for all we have, but what about the things that we did not receive? The missed opportunities. The “no’s.” The unanswered prayers. The disappointments. We try so hard to push these things far from our mind during this season of gratitude. Doing so is a disservice to us because our greatest blessings are oftentimes born of our disappointment. C.S. Lewis says that “failures are fingerposts on the road to achievement.”

Looking back, I remember so many things that I wanted but did not receive. Little did I know that something much greater was in store. I see disappointments that turned into a time of growth and much-needed renewal.

Closed doors often lead us to the better path. Some of our greatest seasons emerge from the lowest valleys. Our mountaintop moments often come after a trek through unpleasant difficulty.

Our finite minds cannot grasp the “why” behind our circumstances, but we can rest in knowing the One who determines our future. Withholding the “good,” He prepares us for something much greater. Laura Story sings that “what if the trials of this life / the rain, the storms, the hardest nights, / are Your mercies in disguise?”

What seemed so difficult and trying in the moment became a blessing. We will one day view our current struggles and see a “mercy in disguise.”

Romans 8:28 says that “God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His Purpose.”

As a loving Father, He withholds certain things from His children out of love and compassion.

In this season, I am thankful for what I did not receive.