Thanksgiving

     With this time of year coming around, everyone takes a little bit of time to think about what they are thankful for. Among the generic lists that you find from among family members, church members, and friends, there are certain things that people will always list. Some big ones that I find are: family, friends, God, and my job. These are all such blessings, and God is certainly so amazing to bless us with these.
     But, I always want to be different than those generic things. I always think about what I'm thankful for that nobody seems to remember. This year, it's been striking me hard about what I should be thankful for- I can only think of a few people who have thanked God for this. And I'm praying every day that God would truly make me thankful for this; and I thought I would share what exactly "it" is.
     I thank God for my trials. I thank God for allowing me to go through hard times, dry spells, and confusion. I thank my God for these because I know that He will always see me through; and I know that trials allow me to grow in ways I never knew were possible.
     I am a very emotional person in general; when things don't go my way, I generally cry to the person closest to me. I blame myself for mistakes I've made, and I get so caught up in my feelings that I don't motivate myself to do anything about it until I've hit absolute rock bottom. But, when I've hit rock bottom, that's when I remember that the only place to look from there is up. And when I look up, and up, and up, I see my Father. And when I cry to the One who is ever present, I find a queer thing happen. My tears slowly begin to dry up; and although I cannot see my Father, I feel His presence so strongly. It's when this happens that I begin to dust off the best book that exists; it's when I look up that I seek Him for the answers.
     When I am questioning my faith in God; when it seems like people look down on me for faith, I know of only one answer. I seek His face to show me the answers to my questions. When I am questioned, I seek the answers; when I begin to seek the answers, I grow ever so much stronger in my faith.
     When I am inhibited by physical trials, it's so easy to get mad at God for allowing me to struggle like that. I have to admit that half of the tears I cry when I am down are truly tears of bitterness, because it seems like I cannot have the faith for God to heal me. Yet, I will praise my God through the pain, because when I am sick, I realize He is my healer. And it's just another opportunity to exercise the faith that God grants me anew every day. Because I have learned so clearly, that when you can't have the faith it seems you need, God's grace is sufficient for you. And His grace brings along the faith. It always seems like grace and faith follow each other; we are saved by grace, through faith.
     So I am learning to be as Paul was. When he was beaten down, persecuted, and couldn't seem to get rid of the "thorn in his side", he lifted his hands up in praise. He sang in the prison cell; he preached at his trial. He loved the ones who sought to kill him. It seems an awful lot like our Saviour at His trial.
     So, when it comes to our trials, will you lift up your hands in thanks, or will you run for the tissue box?

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,  casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 1 Peter 5:6-10