It is one of those days- when bills
are piling and all you have to combat them is faith- and that sinking feeling
that you have not prepared enough or wisely enough and now you are going to pay the
price, somehow. It mutates into aggression, impatience. It would roll over into
everything if I let it.
Yet, I just finished reading an
article by Dena Johnson on Christianity.Com titled 'Learning to take joy in God’s gifts'. And I decide to thank God instead of grumble, get angry or get spiteful. I decide to make a list- short really, but a start nonetheless.
So though I might not have the money for
the next snack or comfort, I decide to say to God:
1) I thank You Lord because I can
eat- I might not be able to buy a snack right now because I am broke. But I’ve got food
in the house- three different soups in my fridge, my choice of pasta, Semo,
Garri or Poundo. If that is not plenty of food I don't know what is.
2) I thank You Lord because I am
healthy – even though you say there is no money, you’ll be shocked how much
tighter things can be when you have to find medical bills amongst zero. You’ll
be surprised folks might not help you feed better but they might certainly help
you with Medical bills. And if you are lucky, their help might not be a loan. I
thank God I don’t have to find out- I'm healthy!
3) I thank You Lord because I have
loved ones – My parents are the most beautiful people on the face of this
earth. My siblings simply the best. I’ve heard of horrors borne on the wings of
people with whom one should find the
most rest. I thank God I have never had to worry about that. We have had our
differences – like the time I gave my life to Christ, and that other time when I
didn’t live my talk, and that other time…. But point is we have loved, still
love and I pray to God even with thanksgiving that we will always love,
ourselves through and through. (And yes, Lord- I really need help getting them
all saved… but this is not the time or
place to talk about that, I guess- I'm giving thanks only at this time!)
4) I thank You Lord because I have a
wonderful car –
5) I thank You Lord because I have a
beautiful house- I am yet to see anyone come into my home for the first time
and not tell me ‘Your house is beautiful’. I even painted and repainted… I
can’t complain.
6) I thank You Lord because I have a
six figure income- Yeah! And how on earth do I get away complaining about being
broke? I was stupid that’s why. And I’m still paying for it. But He’s made it
so easy I can’t imagine how He did it. Point though is broke or not, the income’s
still coming and I thank God because it means I’m getting out of broke pretty
soon.
7) I thank You Lord because I have spiritual
blessings in heavenly places (Ephesians
1:3) – Mercies, Forgiveness, Grace, Goodness, Blessings, Peace, Joy (like a
river and so sweet!), Victories and countless other blessings I cannot (fully) explain.
Where do I begin to count them? I don’t know. Maybe from before I was born, who
knows? But here I am thanking Him for them, because I enjoy them, always have
and by His Grace always will.
What about all these other blessings I still also, thank God for? His Faithfulness on my loved ones? On friends? I don’t have
to mourn anyone. I don’t have to pay medical bills on anyone… And I wouldn’t thank
God??? You bet I will!
Yeah, I might not be able to get one or two things now that I want but I know it’s a short term effect of several
mistakes over time. Considering that even, I think I got off pretty easy - and that's still thanks to Him! I mean, I’m not at a dead end (did I mention the other countless blessings
I cannot trace?).
Now to wrap things up, if you consider that my
God is able to make a highway out of a dead end, does it not make my case (humanly
speaking) just that much more encouraging? But we do know that my God does not
need any more power to make a way for me than He needs to make a way in the
wilderness. (Isaiah 43:19).
If that’s not another reason to
be thankful, I don’t know what is!
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