Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
- Psalm 100:4
November has become the month of thankfulness. We see many people sharing what they are thankful for each day on social media. Not only does it make me smile but it also helps me to remember to count my blessings and live a life of gratitude.
Here are some definitions from google to gain some understanding of what it means to be thankful.
Thankful is defined as being pleased or relieved. Also, as expressing gratitude or relief.
Gratitude is defined as feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness.
Relieved is defined as no longer feeling distressed or anxious.
I look back on the times I have listed the, "Today I am thankful for," things and wonder am I looking deep enough. There are all the obvious answers, God, life, salvation, spouses, family, fur babies, the Bible, etc. Those are wonderful and blessed things and we should be thankful for them. Sometimes we stay too long on the surface and regurgitate what we know others want to hear. What about being thankful for some deeper things? Maybe even some things that may not seems worth thanking God for. The hard times, trials, illness, etc.
So today, I want to look deeper and pull out some of those hard things to be thankful for.
I am thankful for:
The times my heart was broken, it taught me that not every person was the one who God had for me.
The panic attacks and anxiety, it has forced me to ask for help and learn more about myself.
The pain of fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other issues, it has forced me to slow down and learn how to take care of myself.
These things have also taught me to be more compassionate and empathetic. It has taught me to be more understanding and not to jump to conclusions. Not all illnesses are visible.
Can you think of a "not so good" thing and find a way to be thankful for it?
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.
-Psalm 100:5
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