Sometimes it's difficult to be thankful. Especially as we get older.
We become jaded.
People disappoint.
Life doesn't happen the way we think it should.
We realize just how out of control of our life we really are.
We disappoint ourselves.
We long for more.
It's easy to allow our hearts to grow as cold as the late November wind.
When I allow myself to focus on things that haven't gone my way, instead of acknowledging God's hand on my life, my heart grows hard and cold.
But in light of of the season of thankfulness, in light of the past post on remembrance, I think it's a good idea to place my heart on the hearth of unfailing love, to allow it to thaw out in the glow of all God has done for me.
I truly am thankful for so many things He's done, even in the last few months. Life is not perfect. But it's so blessed. More than I comprehend.
I've found a church home.
I've gotten not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 jobs which at times seems like more than I can handle, but I'm grateful that God provides.
I've lost privacy, peace, and quiet, which makes for a sometimes chaotic and frazzled existence, but I've gained living with 3 precious nieces and nephews who make life fun and remind me what really matters-relationships. People. Family. And I'm so thankful for my family.
Incidentally, through all this, I'm thankful for a sister and brother-in-law who are selfless enough to take in their family members at their time of need. This is what love in action looks like.
I'm thankful for awesome co-workers, and amazing friends who always know how to make me smile and laugh. I used to look on friendships and relationships and see all the things that I wish were different. I'm realizing more and more that love is less of wanting others to change and more of just loving them the way they are. It's more rewarding that way.
I'm thankful that I get to do things I love every day. No, I'm not exactly where I want to be in life. There's a lot more I want to accomplish and some days I feel like a complete and utter failure. But in all of my jobs I get to help people, I get to make people feel beautiful, I get to teach people, I get to love people. Some days are harder than others. Mostly I feel unworthy and clueless as to how to love. But the older I get, the more I realize that love is more of a journey, less of a destination. You learn as you go and as you grow.
Mostly, I'm thankful that even when I can't see God's hand, even when my heart doesn't believe that God is sovereign or good, even when I can't see the big picture, truth endures. God endures. Love endures.
I'm thankful that Love doesn't give up on us, even when we give up on Him. I'm thankful that when we remain faithless, He remains faithful, because He cannot deny who He is.
It's an astounding, scandalous truth, one that at present I'm having trouble understanding. And yet it still remains true.
We become jaded.
People disappoint.
Life doesn't happen the way we think it should.
We realize just how out of control of our life we really are.
We disappoint ourselves.
We long for more.
It's easy to allow our hearts to grow as cold as the late November wind.
When I allow myself to focus on things that haven't gone my way, instead of acknowledging God's hand on my life, my heart grows hard and cold.
But in light of of the season of thankfulness, in light of the past post on remembrance, I think it's a good idea to place my heart on the hearth of unfailing love, to allow it to thaw out in the glow of all God has done for me.
I truly am thankful for so many things He's done, even in the last few months. Life is not perfect. But it's so blessed. More than I comprehend.
I've found a church home.
I've gotten not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 jobs which at times seems like more than I can handle, but I'm grateful that God provides.
I've lost privacy, peace, and quiet, which makes for a sometimes chaotic and frazzled existence, but I've gained living with 3 precious nieces and nephews who make life fun and remind me what really matters-relationships. People. Family. And I'm so thankful for my family.
Incidentally, through all this, I'm thankful for a sister and brother-in-law who are selfless enough to take in their family members at their time of need. This is what love in action looks like.
I'm thankful for awesome co-workers, and amazing friends who always know how to make me smile and laugh. I used to look on friendships and relationships and see all the things that I wish were different. I'm realizing more and more that love is less of wanting others to change and more of just loving them the way they are. It's more rewarding that way.
I'm thankful that I get to do things I love every day. No, I'm not exactly where I want to be in life. There's a lot more I want to accomplish and some days I feel like a complete and utter failure. But in all of my jobs I get to help people, I get to make people feel beautiful, I get to teach people, I get to love people. Some days are harder than others. Mostly I feel unworthy and clueless as to how to love. But the older I get, the more I realize that love is more of a journey, less of a destination. You learn as you go and as you grow.
Mostly, I'm thankful that even when I can't see God's hand, even when my heart doesn't believe that God is sovereign or good, even when I can't see the big picture, truth endures. God endures. Love endures.
I'm thankful that Love doesn't give up on us, even when we give up on Him. I'm thankful that when we remain faithless, He remains faithful, because He cannot deny who He is.
It's an astounding, scandalous truth, one that at present I'm having trouble understanding. And yet it still remains true.
Praise the Lord, all you nations;
Extol Him, all you peoples. For great is His love toward us,
And the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 117:1-2
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