Ever been there? So completely frustrated with the circumstances of your day . . . or your week, or your month, or more . . . feeling everything but thankful . . . but determined to trust God to do something good?
That was the day He really began to teach me what it meant to be thankful in every circumstance - that day I stood brushing my clenched teeth. I kept thinking about Corrie Ten Boom giving thanks for the fleas and seeing later that, in the midst of HORRIFIC circumstances, God was orchestrating a way of making Himself known to those who didn't know Him. In the midst of misery, He was displaying His glory.
My circumstances weren't horrific - just frustrating and maddening and discouraging. In the grand scheme of things, the circumstance itself was small. But the lessons were huge and profound and life-changing. Because if it hadn't been for the circumstance, I would have missed the miracle. And isn't that what Jesus said? Sometimes He brings the circumstance so we can see His glory.
But when Jesus heard about it, He said, "Lazarus sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God, so that the Son of God will receive glory from this." (John 11:4, NLT)
Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe..." (John 11:41-42, NLT)
Giving thanks because He is good . . .
1165 clouds skimming sunset sky
1166 bowl full of sweet peppers
1167 boys playing outside, their laughter and wide happy smiles
1168 that God spoke
1169 the courage that comes with a friend's encouragement
1170 such sweet response
1171 toddler hugs
1172 "tea" with my favorite 21 month-old
1173 making "clouds" in homeschool science
1174 that happy red geranium by my front door
1175 cooler spring days, low humidity
1176 tortilla soup
1177 neigborhood kids knocking on the door after school
1178 boy-child waking me in the night to pray
1179 fields of yellow flowers
1180 sun glinting off the backs of horses at pasture
1181 tractors resting in the fields along the road
1182 the sound of the train rumbling down the track, whistle blowing
1183 listening to this song online
1184 this lyric: "We will not love at our convenience the One who suffered in our place"
1185 and this one: "We will not come into Your presence withholding something from your grasp"
1186 flowers springing up everywhere...bright color, new life in Spring
1187 that He kept her safe while she was away
