Thankful...

I had a completely different idea for today’s post, but then yesterday happened. Also, I have no clue what happened to formatting. Just... yeah. Sorry about that. 

You see, my initial plan was to just do what I did last year, and make a list of 100 things I’m thankful for, but I’m too lazy/busy for that right now, so I’m doing something different.

The thing I’ve been thinking about is being thankful in the pain. 

Being thankful when life has been cheated, when pain is racking through our bodies and when we can’t see what God could be doing in our lives.

It’s hard to appreciate the absolute sovereignty of God when the world appears to be against us.

I know that emotionally people are going through a lot of different things. I realize that I could never write words that will touch you and make you feel better through the storms.  know that saying God is sovereign isn’t near enough to make things right or justified.

Being thankful in those days of pain is hard.

I don’t like being thankful in the pain, in fact my method for dealing with pain is crawling under my bed and drinking coffee whilst listening to music loudly. It's not something I'm proud of, but that's what happens. 

In those times when Paul tells us to "Be thankful in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18.) it doesn't seem to 'cut' it. It doesn't seem like enough to just "be thankful." 

The thing about thankfulness is that it takes our perspective and switches it.

In the pain or crisis, we tend to look at ourselves.

We wallow in the past, heap it on top of ourselves and don't ever try to get back up. 
It becomes a chain.

But when we are thankful, we have to look up from the darkness of that 'hole.'

We have to look at the good things, and the good in other people.

Instead of noticing that my brothers have big ugly smelly feet, I might notice that JD has a nice smile, and I might be thankful that he can put up with my sarcasm. 

Now, I would like to reiterate what I said earlier. I know that a lot of people are going through a lot of really horrible things, and to be honest, I don’t blame you for being filled with pain. I thinks it's ok to be sad for a little while. But the beauty of pain is that it doesn't last forever. 

As hard as it is to find anything to be thankful for, there is one thing that you can boast in--that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, and he has a plan.

When the world looks like it’s going up in ashes and smoke, He’s still sovereign. His love will never run out on you, and he’s never going to let you go from his fold.

When there is seemingly nothing to be thankful for, there is. The overwhelming love of our father in Heaven.

“Thank the LORD because he is good. His love continues forever. This is what those whom the Lord has saved should say. He has saved them from the enemy and has gathered them from other lands…. They were hungry and thirsty, and they were discouraged… They cried out to the LORD, and he saved them from their troubles… Let them give thanks to the LORD for his love.”  ~Psalms 107:1-8

In Christ Alone,

Rachel Joy