National Guard soldier dies a day after DC attack

US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died last night, according to President Trump. She was one of two National Guard members targeted by a gunman in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. A second victim, Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition at this writing.

Beckstrom’s death means that the suspect will likely be charged with first-degree murder. US officials stated yesterday that the alleged shooter was an Afghan national who worked for the CIA in his native country and arrived in the US in 2021. He drove across the country from Washington state to commit the crime. The FBI is probing for a motive for the suspect, who was shot at the scene and is being treated in a hospital after being arrested.

The shooting cast a pall over yesterday’s Thanksgiving holiday, reminding us that tragedy does not respect tradition. And yet we are commanded by God’s word to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, my emphasis). This could indicate that we are to be grateful in our challenges but not for them.

However, Scripture also instructs us to “give thanks always and for everything to God” (Ephesians 5:20, my emphasis).

In the face of unspeakable tragedy such as Wednesday’s shooting, why should we do this?

“My strength of soul you increased”

Thanksgiving became a regularly observed national holiday after President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation establishing a day of gratitude to God. And yet, as Jon Meacham reports in his magnificent biography of Mr. Lincoln, the fall of that year was a dark time for the president. The midterm elections of 1862 were disastrous for his party; as the war churned on, his prospects in the upcoming presidential election looked dire.

Nonetheless, Mr. Lincoln called the nation to express its gratitude for God’s provisions and blessings, believing that the Lord’s mercy should be “solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people.”

This declaration was wisely beneficial for at least two reasons, one secular and one biblical.

One: The expression of gratitude brings demonstrably positive benefits.

A recent Harvard study reports that thanksgiving leads to emotional and social well-being, better sleep quality, lower depression risks, and favorable markers of cardiovascular health. New data shows that it may even extend lives.

Francis Bacon, often called the father of modern science, observed: “It’s not happy people who are thankful. It’s thankful people who are happy.” The Dalai Lama similarly noted, “It is worth remembering that the time of greatest gain in terms of wisdom and inner strength is often that of greatest difficulty.”

Two: Thanksgiving to God positions us to experience his presence and receive his best.

God’s word famously calls us to “enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!” (Psalm 100:4). David therefore prayed, “I give you thanks, O Lᴏʀᴅ, with my whole heart” (Psalm 138:1). As a result, he could add, “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased” (v. 3, my emphasis).

When we thank God for who he is and what he does, such faith guides our minds and hearts to see his providence at work and leads us into his living presence. And Jesus promised that when we come to him, not to church or to religion or to a generic attitude of gratitude but to the living Lord, “you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).

In God’s presence, “he heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). This is because the Messiah came to give us “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:3 NKJV).

It has been said, “Cultivate the ability to say ‘thank you’ for everything, and you will find that everything is a gift.”

“When I sit in darkness”

However, we need to ask a hard question: Does this discussion mean that we are to consider even the tragedies of life as somehow worthy of gratitude? Is this what it means to “give thanks always and for everything to God” (Ephesians 5:20, my emphasis)?

What about Jesus’ grief in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36–46) and anguished cry from the cross (Matthew 27:46)? And Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” for which he pleaded three times for relief (2 Corinthians 12:7–8)?

Here’s where the Greek original helps. For can be translated “concerning” or “regarding.” To “give thanks for everything” means to find a cause for gratitude with regard to the experiences of life, even when they are tragic. It means to seek the hand of God at work in our circumstances, praying for the wisdom to find his providence even in our pain and struggles. And it means to trust that our loving Father redeems all he allows, in this life and the next.

The prophet testified,

“When I sit in darkness, the Lᴏʀᴅ will be a light to me” (Micah 7:8).

“When” reminds us that “darkness” comes for us all.

If it has found you today, your Lord wants you to know this: the darker your room, the more powerful his light.

Quote for the day:

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility, and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.” —C. S. Lewis

Our latest website resources:

• Navigating faith and political discussions with Gen Z
• What does the Bible say about suicide?
• Why did Cloudflare and Amazon Web Services fail? What the outages can teach us about the spiritual realm
• Why are so many young people struggling to find hope—and how can we help?
• Epstein files, MAGA infighting, peace deals & Tom Cruise