Being thankful for, in, and through the hard stuff is, well, hard. But when our focus is on the person and work of Jesus, gratitude for all he has purposed for our lives comes far more easily.
Counting My Blessings Through November, Week 3
Originally shared via Facebook, 2021
#15 I am thankful for my klutziness, for I have seen evidence of grace in many mundane accidents from which I have been rescued.
I have 10 fingers. And that’s a miracle. (Have you seen me in the kitchen?!)
I also have all my adult teeth, despite having had my two front teeth blown out during a game of steal the bacon.
My delicate eyebrows are still intact, even through the many years of hanging barbies and little green army men over the burn barrel to watch them melt.
Oh, there are so many big things that I have been physically saved from (fires, car accidents, medical emergencies, etc.), but on a day-to-day basis, the Lord is so gracious to allow me to see his protection over my petty klutziness.
Whether I am washing a knife at the kitchen sink, hanging a heavy mirror, or simply attempting to walk up the stairs, I daily realize that, were anything just a hair different in position, just a second different in timing, or if I were just a small bit stronger or weaker, I may have lost a finger, been electrocuted, or gotten a concussion.
Some people may not realize the danger from which they have been saved. Others might release a nervous laugh and say, “thank goodness!“ But as for me, it is a training of gratitude.
When the knife slips, but somehow catches mid-air, defying gravity and swings away from my finger, I give thanks for God’s sweet sovereignty of physical protection. I do the same when the screw I am drilling is just barely too short to reach the outlet on the other side of the wall, or when my sleeve miraculously snags on a banister, stopping my fall towards a basket of glasses.
Were it not for the realization that I am lacking in circumspect spacial awareness, I don’t think I would notice how many times I have narrowly avoided physical catastrophe. But because I know of my failings, I am all the more aware of Jesus’ protection. And, when he ordains my injury, I will praise him all the more, knowing that he has preserved me from small things in order to showcase his glory in that particular instance more than he could have done so through the myriad of other wounds.
Jesus made me a klutz to his glory. And I will thank him because he is good.
#16 I am thankful for my mourning friends, for by sharing in their grief Jesus comforts us both.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NIV)
#17 I am thankful for family who lives thousands of miles away from our home, for the sweetness of a visit is worth the effort of the travel
I get to see my sister soon, and we just touched down with the whole family. Y’all. Flying with three kids is no joke. Even with my sweet husband and I teaming up to corral them through the terminals and flights and the car rental place, it was a night. Also we’re getting to my sisters at 2:15 am. Yay! 🤦🏼♀️ But, OH! I am SO excited to see her!!! Put into an eternal perspective, shouldn’t we be that excited to see Jesus, and wouldn’t his presence make this journey worth all the pain??
#18 I am thankful to wait (ages) for the restroom, for even this passive service works in my heart to produce Christlikeness.
When ya gotta go, ya gotta go. But while you wait ya gotta glorify God. Whatever you do (even if you’re waiting for the restroom) do to the glory of God. Patience for others, kindness towards foolish people, intentional care for disrespectful folks… the times we interact with others, even in a passive manner, hold the beautiful potential to showcase Christ. Don’t miss out on that opportunity!
#19 I am thankful for differing opinions from that of my husband's, for it is a sweet exercise to fight to love well, rather than to fight to be right.
I was right and I knew it. And he was oh, so wrong. And I know him well enough that I could have easily used my words to tear him down, forcing a surrender, and force him to my decision.
But were I to have sacrificed my opportunity to love him well and respect his God-given responsibility to lead his family well on the alter of being “right,” no matter how right I was I would have been so very wrong.
There is a beauty in learning to express my heart and opinion to my husband in a gentle, supportive way, and there is richness in communicating opportunities for him to better obey clear directions from God.
But there is no place for my preferences to become my master, directing me to idolize my pride in being right over my opportunity to love.
There are clear mandates in Scripture and we must call our brothers and sister in Christ to obey those fully. But those gray areas hinged on our opinions? Nope.
Rarely are our differing perspectives rooted in eternal truth, rather than simple opinions, and we must take every opportunity to showcase the humility of Christ by gifting our opinions to our spouse (or others), as a gift of love.
#20 I am thankful for broken relationships. Not because I see fruit yet, but because I am sure that Jesus is faithful and that He has purposed good for me.
There is one particular person in my life that has brought about incalculable pain and years of grief, confusion, and heartache for myself, my family, and so many others. Sometimes I wish I just knew why. Sometimes I think there would be more peace in simply understanding.
But if I understood, I would still not have the peace that transcends the heart of Christ. In Jesus rests the peace that passes all understanding. So I must pursue His heart to find the peace I long for. I know this. I trust this. Though sometimes I still wish I knew why.
For as long as I do not understand I must simply trust.
I see that Jesus is using this pain to show me how to practice a heart of forgiveness while still yearning for my offender's repentance of and forsaking of their sin.
But I do not truly know why Jesus has allowed such brokenness in this relationship, and why He has not yet convicted their heart of the horrific sin, nor the grievous wounds inflicted on others as a direct result of their selfish living.
And yet, God is still good. He still faithful. Regardless of how I feel, the truth is that God has purposed His glory and my growth through this suffering.
Will I trust His hand? I must. To whom else would I go?
Oh, Lord, be my hope amidst the loss, my comfort amidst the grieving. Jesus, I trust that you are the perfect answer for every question of my heart. Though I continue to pray for restoration, I will rest in Your ordination, for I know Your purpose is far grander than my perception, and Your will holds more beauty than my way of thinking could ever comprehend.
#21 I am thankful for mourned missed opportunities. For even as I repent over my failure to obey, Jesus faithfully continues to work His will and my growth.
I had a perfect opportunity to share the gospel. But I was afraid. So I didn’t. I have mourned over that lost opportunity ever since.
I should have kept my mouth shut. But I didn’t. I assumed that my words would be better than silence. I was wrong. I still grieve over my lack of obedience there, too.
In each instance the Holy Spirit was working in my heart, convincing me of that which was right to do, but through fear and pride I ignored his promptings. I was thus guilty, and the guilt laid on my heart for many years. But upon confessing my guilt to Jesus I was absolved, and my heart was freed. I was then given opportunities to apologize to each of those people I had previously interacted with (which is a gift in itself), and, through expressing my sorrow, I was given an even more beautiful opportunity to reflect Christ to them.
How sweet it is to see Jesus use my failings to his glory! He allowed me to suffer consequences for my sin, yet orchestrated even my failings to showcase him well, perhaps even more clearly than otherwise possible.
So shall I continue to sin, that his grace may be more evident? Absolutely not! As Paul said, “Heaven forbid!“ Yet the sovereign power of our gracious Lord permeates even through disobedience to work his will and his ways. Hallelujah!
(Reprinted from the backlogs of Social Media. As Jesus leads me to pursue a career in writing I am called to serve my readers with faithfulness and excellence. I have been stewarded with a sweet gathering of email friends, and to serve them well means I have the opportunity to strengthen my blogging skills as well as my Social Media presence. In that I am pulling my favorite Instagram posts, spiffing them up a bit, and sharing them here. For those who are receiving this post via email and would like to join my darling Insta family as well, you are invited to visit me HERE.)
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