I am thankful for my Family, and for our safety through the tornado warnings and severe thunderstorms of this week.
I am thankful for God's saving Grace!
I am thankful for the convenience of electricity, that I take for granted so often.
I am so thankful for so many things, that I couldn't possibly name them all, but it was nice to stop and reflect.
Psalms 145: 1-3
1 "I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise they name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable."
Edited to add:
I was reading back over some of my posts from years ago (it's now 2023) and this one made me stop and reflect, again, on God's goodness.
So many things have happened in my life since I wrote this post. Some wonderful things (like getting married to the man I love) to some very difficult and painful things (like finding out my husband had cancer).
In some of my most painful, sorrowful moments I've asked the "Why did this happen?" question and had the thought "This doesn't make sense, I don't understand." And like the Psalmist I've wondered "Where is God in all this?", and "Has God forgotten me?". I haven't gotten answers for all "why's", but I can say that God has never forgotten me (even though at times I felt like it).
First, let's look at Psalms 42. The entire chapter is such an encouragement to me! It reminds me that I'm not the first that has asked these questions, and God is not angry at me/us for asking and trying/wanting to understand. At the same time God is God and He knows and sees things that we don't know, so some things we won't understand and have to trust Him.
Psalm 42: 1-11 (NIV)
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise Him,
my Savior and 6 my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon - from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the Lord directs His love,
at night His song is with me -
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise Him,
my Savior and my God.
And in Deuteronomy 31: 6
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."
If you or a family member has just gotten bad health news, if you're grieving a loss, or for whatever reason today you find it difficult to be thankful and you're wondering if God is there. I can tell you that even when it doesn't feel like, He is there. You can trust God's word and put your trust in Jesus. He does love you and He sees you today. Right where you're at. Right what you're going through. (There are tears running down my face as I type this. He is faithful.)
I challenge you, today, to look for something good and see that it is a gift from God.
Look at Matthew 25: 35-40 (NIV)
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37 Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"
40 The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Has someone sent you an encouraging message through facebook or e-mail? Has someone come to just sit with you in your pain. Did someone smile at you at the grocery store? Did someone help you meet a need you had? These are all good gifts from God. Even in the deepest of pains, God is there. It can be hard to feel Him when we're deep in some kind of sorrow, but I encourage you, again, to look for even those little glimmers of blessings, for they are signs that God is there and hasn't left you and hasn't forsaken you. God loves you deeply.
Are you hurting today? Are you finding it hard to be thankful. Feel free to leave a comment, I'd love to pray for you.
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