I just read a blog by Valerie Young called “You Can’t Change Your Life Course Without Thanksgiving.” It made a great point about how we need to be thankful for what we have right now, even if we’re not exactly where we’d like to be.
That’s a tall order sometimes, isn’t it? I know it is for me. When I want a change, I want it to happen right away. And if it doesn’t, I can feel the frustration and discontentment start to stir up inside. The danger is that I’ll follow my feelings and try to make things happen myself. I can quickly end up out of God’s timing, and into a mess of my own making!
I know there’s a better way, and it involves me submitting my will to His. It’s a decision to believe that God’s plan is right for me, and to trust in His methods. And while I wait to move ahead, I need to have an attitude of gratitude about where I am.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good…” Psalm 136:1
No praise item is too small to mention. Sometimes I start with the most basic of gifts, like breathing. The mere act of lifting thanks up to God, whatever it’s for, is a blessing. I always end up feeling lighter and more at peace with my circumstances when I’m done.
Honestly, I pray for a lot of things to improve: physical healing for my RA symptoms, a healthier financial condition for our household, more clarity for my kids. And each of those are important to me. But instead of focusing totally on the future I hope for, I need to see what’s amazing about the present. To put it another way, God is good, all the time!
Oh mercy this sounds so much like me ! Lord help me to submit to your ways . I tell its so true we can make a big mess trying to fix an figure things out instead of enjoying God’s peace . I feel so foolish after acting stupid! Thank God for His mercy and grace that’s always available! I enjoyed the read have a fantastic day! 🎆🎉🎉🎉🎆
Hi Pat! Thanks for reading, and for being so honest. I can’t tell you how much of a “fixer” I used to be. As you said so well, thanks to God for seeing something better in me!