Gratefulness.

Thank You, my gracious and sovereign God, that You have been with me and carried me from the day of my birth until today. . . .that You knew the end of my life from the beginning. . . .and that You wrote in Your book all the days that You ordained for me before one of them came to be.

Thank You that in Your gracious plan to bless and use me, You've allowed me to go through hard times, through trials that many people go through in this fallen world. . . .How glad I am that You're so good at reaching down and making something beautiful out of even the worst situations! How encouraged I am when I think how You did this for Joseph back in Genesis. . . .how his brothers hated and abused and betrayed him. . . .how You worked these things out for a blessing, both for Joseph and his family and for countless other people.

So I thank You for the specific family (or lack of family) into which I was born and the opportunities You did or did not provide. And thank You for the things in my past that appear to be limitations, hindrances, bad breaks. . . .the wounds of old hurts. . . .the unmet emotional needs. . . .the mistakes or neglect of other people. . . .even their cruelty to me. . . .their abuse.

How comforting to know that in all my distressed You were distressed. . . .And how I thank You, Lord Jesus, that on the cross You bore my griefs and carried my sorrow, as well as my sins. . . .that I can kneel at the cross and worship You as the one who took on Yourself all my pain and experienced it to the full. And thank You that all these seeming disadvantages are a backdrop for the special, unfolding plan You have in mind for me.

I'm so grateful that all my past circumstances were permitted by You to make me see my need of You and prepare my heart for Your Word. . . .to draw me to Yourself. . . .and to work out Your good purposes for my life. I rejoice that You are the Blessed Controller of all things-You are now, You will be throughout the future, and You always were. All my days Your touch of love and wisdom, whether I can fully see it yet or not.

And Lord, I choose to look beyond my past and present troubles in this life- this temporary life- and fix my eyes on the unseen things that will last forever. . . .I praise You for the eternal glory these things are piling up for me as I choose to trust You.

Amen. =)

(31 Days of Praise-Ruth Meyers)