Giving Thanks, Even in the Storm

Each person can define what the “storm” means in their world right now.  In the midst of our storms, we are called to give thanks to God. 

How in the world do you expect me to thank God when I have this illness?

Why would I thank God when my loved one still passed away? 

There are so many things that can deter us from thanking God for even the smallest of things, but a strange thing happens when we thank Him in the midst of our storm.  Somehow, a peace begins to come into our hearts.  As we continue to give Him thanks, even though it might take a mighty effort to thank Him from our hearts, there is a great return, a great dividend when we take that step of faith.

You may argue in your heart or mind right now with what I have said, but the truth of the matter is, God, the creator of the universe, who spoke our world into existence, loves you.  When we look at David, a shepherd boy who became a king of Israel, fought many battles, and suffered many sorrows, found a way through the dark night to give thanks to God. 

In Psalm 35:18, David spoke “I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.”  He wasn’t in the best of places.  He hadn’t received what he was asking for, yet he chose to praise the Lord in the midst of his turmoil.  Looking at the verse right before it, David says, “Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, my precious life from the lions.” 

We can’t afford to let our situations dictate when we feel like thanking God.  He is worthy of our thanks every single minute of the day.  What is one thing.. just one thing.. that you can say you are thankful to God for?

Here are just a few things that I am eternally thankful for:

-        -  God saved me from a destructive relationship when I was 19 years old.  I came back to God through the break-up of that engagement.  I am so thankful that I never married that person.  Through the heartbreak and ache, God began showing me how precious I was and what I really needed was Him.

-        -  I am thankful for His forgiveness!  I thought God was on the other side of the universe because I knowingly made a choice to sin against Him.  I thought there was no way to get back to Him so I continued to walk the path of destruction and there was absolutely no true joy or pleasure on that path.  I am grateful and thankful that He never gave up on me, and when I turned back to Him, He welcomed me home with open arms.  His love and forgiveness still astound me! 

      

      -  I am thankful for the parents He gave to me.  They are not perfect, but through them, I have grown closer to God and need Him more and more.  I am also thankful for my sister, whom is a beloved woman in my life that sharpens me (Proverbs 27:17).

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           -  I am thankful for the challenges in my life.  I know that sounds strange, but it makes me realize how small I am and how big God is.  He is the lifter of my head and the lover of my soul.  Without Him, the struggles I face would be filled with hopelessness, but with Him, I have no fear for I can trust Him and know that He will work out His perfect will in my life as I yield to Him.

-         -   I am thankful for my husband.  God knew what I needed in a mate and He has done and is still doing a wonderful work through him in my life.  He is the most patient man while I am like a bouncing ping pong ball sometimes.  I can see God’s love manifest in my husband and I am blown away at how much God really does love me.

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      ….  The list goes on and on.  Now it is your turn.  What are you thankful for?  Tell Him!  I know He would love to hear your voice!

Blessings to you, dear one!!

Dawn

The Vineyard

As we continue to wait upon the Lord for His guidance and timing, I would like to share a part of the trip that challenged me and helped me at the same time.  While we were in Rotorua at Calvary Chapel Bible Institute, Pastor Mark asked a simple question.  In my words, it is great that we wanted to serve, but what has God placed on our hearts that we are passionate towards.  Simple, but sometimes we lose sight of the simple things.

I must say, I was quite stoic and quiet for the next few days.  It wasn't a hard question per se but for some reason I was having a hard time saying anything.  Why was this so hard?  What I had figured out was that the passion that I knew about years ago had been overgrown with other things.  The busyness of life and serving; my focus had lost its sharpness and I must admit I felt a bit awkward like I should have known better.

In the Gospel of John Chapter 15, Jesus talks about the true vine.  In v2 He states, ”Every branch in Me that does not bear much fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”  Later on in v6 He states, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”  As believers we are the branches that get our nourishment from the vine (God).  There are two ways that we can go, we can bear fruit and be pruned or wither and be burned.  Either option is not one we readily look towards.  God was pruning me.  Be it too much on my plate, or this new season of life that I am going through, God loves me to prune me.  He clips away the dead stuff as well as some healthy stuff so that I may “bear more fruit”.

As I look back, I am so thankful for the question and uneasiness that it presented in my heart.  I have a renewed passion for worship and it helps me add another lens to view options through.  Are the things that I spend time on glorifying God?  Am I worshiping God through my thoughts and actions?  In the end it is just as John penned in v8 of Chapter 15, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

In His Grace and Mercy,

Andrew