THANK GOD FOR TROUBLE!

During this the "Thanksgiving season", many of us are posting on Facebook all of the things that we are thankful for. Kids are making crafts and art projects at school and church which list all of the things they are thankful for. (My personal favorite was the year that my son brought his art project home from preschool that said he was thankful for "my mommy because she fixes me chocolate milk and takes me to church". It kinda choked me up when I read it! You know how we mothers are!)

Usually, most of our "Thankful" lists look about the same: our health, friends, family, faith, freedom, our homes, our jobs, our churches, etc. We have so many wonderful things in our lives to be thankful for. It feels good to have positive things going on in our lives. Just look on Facebook at all the mothers posting about their kids making honor roll...you know how we mothers get...we are happy and thankful and proud of our babies and we want to share our good news. That is perfectly understandable and we should celebrate our successes and our kids' successes as well.

But you know, you don't often see us posting things like, "I'm so proud of Junior for that "U" he got in conduct! Why? Because it's not good news! But if you look at it from another perspective, there's still something to be thankful for...at least he went to school...at least he can talk ...even if he's talking too much! 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says:
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 

Giving thanks in All circumstances means give thanks when there's good news and give thanks when there's bad news!

 Have you ever heard the song "Blessings" by Laura Story? The lyrics of the chorus are:
"'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?What if Your healing comes through tears?What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?What if trials of this life....Are Your mercies in disguise?"

The theme of the song is blessings in disguise. We've got to be thankful for all of our blessings, even the ones that don't seem like a blessing at the time. How do we do that? You would have some sort of a mental health problem if you just loved trouble, pain, heartache, disease, death, etc. Who would be thankful for that?

We don't have to be thankful for the problem. We are to give thanks in the midst of the trouble or in spite of the trouble. The Bible says that in this world we will have trouble, but we are not to fear because He has overcome the world! Praise Him and give him thanks while you are still going through your hard time or your sickness or depression or whatever your "trouble" is..

If you had told me three years ago what my life would be like right now, I would have told you that you were crazy. I've had a lot of changes in my life. But when I look back, I can only give thanks to God for what he has done for me. While I would not have chosen the path that my life took...God has met my need every step of the way. If I had not been forced to change, I would not have some of the blessings that I have now...a new home, a new job, a new church, new friends, new interests, new hobbies, a new hairstyle, a new figure,  a new hair color and even a new lipstick color! WHEW!  I've gotten my old confidence and self esteem back, I've renewed old acquaintances and given up old bad habits...I tried a new career I had always wanted to try, went on vacation and road trips by myself and had a blast. I've read more books, I've been to plays, I've auditioned for a play and one day I'm going to write a book and a play!  I've faced fears and learned to do things that I didn't think I could do. I learned that I had a strength that I didn't know I had....because it didn't come from me, it came from God. Before long I may even learn to parallel park!

Whatever you are going through today, give thanks to God in the middle of it. One day you are going to be able to look back like I did and see that some good did come out of it or marvel at how God held you up while you were going through it. Start praising Him and giving thanks today!

One of my new favorite songs is "In the Middle Of it" by Isaac Carree.

Tears rolling down your face
If your heart's feelin’ like it’s gon’ break
If your earth feels like it’s ’bout to shake
If you’ve taken all that you can take
Just remember where your help comes from
Realize you got somewhere to run
Don’t worry ’bout what you’re going through
Instead of worrying, here’s what you can do
Praise him anyway
In the middle of it 

Listen
I’m just like you
If you cut me I’m gon’ bleed
I got wants just as well as I got needs
I’ve been hungry and not had no food to eat
And been knocked down as soon as I got on my feet
Lord it was You that helped me understand
And it was You that never let go of my hand
I promise that I’ll always give you praise
No matter what this world brings my way
I’ll praise you anyway
In the middle of it
I’m gonna lift my hands
In the middle of it
I’m gonna do my dance
In the middle of it
I’m gonna shout for joy
In the middle of it