“I wouldn’t say I’m ‘proud’ to be an American. But I would say that I am truly and deeply GRATEFUL.”
Am I proud to be an American? “Proud” isn’t the right word to describe the way I feel. As from our inception, our nation falls short in numerous ways, many of which are sources of grief and pain to me. I don’t think I need to list the things that make me sad. So, I wouldn’t say I’m “proud” to be an American. But I would say that I am truly and deeply GRATEFUL.
I’m grateful for the ideals and values that we have aspired to, including the honoring of God and His Word; the value of people made in God’s image and thus worthy of being treated with dignity and respect; our freedoms of religion, speech, the press, and so much more.
I’m grateful for the enormous blessings and opportunities afforded me as an American, believing that God has blessed us beyond what we have deserved. So grateful for God’s GRACE and MERCY.
I’m grateful for heroic examples of countless people who have dreamed and worked and sacrificed for causes that are good and right and true; and for the undeniable ways that our values and freedoms have inspired with hope people from all the nations on the earth.
And even though we have fallen short, we have within our national DNA a resiliency, an ideal, a desire to do better, to be better, to try again. That spirit overcame the horrible blemish of slavery, and it has made strides in overcoming racism and the oppression and mistreatment of women. And by God’s grace it will succeed in overcoming the barbarism of abortion and the perverted obsession with sexual immorality in all its vile forms. And by God’s grace, we will find compassionate and responsible solutions to our border crisis.
We have numerous challenges before us, so true. More than anything, we need a great spiritual awakening to the reality of Jesus Christ, another Jesus movement more powerful than the last. For this I pray.
So am I proud to be an American? In many ways, yes. But again, that’s not the best word to describe my feelings. Better to say that I’m grateful, and I’m hopeful. Yes, I’m hopeful, because our wonderful Father in Heaven loves us, and He hasn’t given up on us. With Him, there is always hope.