Busted!

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“I will remember the deeds of the LORD” Psalm 77:11

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I caught myself doing it again. I had been above and beyond tired the other day and felt the need to have another party – a pity party. Of course, the problem with that kind of party is that no one wants to come – it’s a solitary event.

What started it was thinking back to the wonderful road trips that John and I used to take. Just climb in the car and head out to – wherever. Sometimes there was a specific destination in mind, sometimes not – just go wherever the country roads led, particularly south. How wonderful those times were. Because of my husband’s illness, (and Covid) it was unlikely that we would be doing any of that in the future. Thinking of those wonderful times past and mourning the passing of such really brought me down. I would miss those times dreadfully. Those thoughts led to thinking of many similar things I would miss from the past that surely would never be part of my future.

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Then a voice whispered to me, “Smarten Up, Lady!” I’m not certain that it was the voice of the Holy Spirit, because He doesn’t usually speak to me in that tone, but the message was clear. I was spending so much time and tears on what had been taken away that I was not remembering and rejoicing in the incredible blessings those things of the past had been. I had been so privileged to have travelled to most of the U.S , Canada, parts of Europe and even Asia. God has given us so much joy in our travels over the years and yet instead of rejoicing in the blessings of the past, I was mourning and already missing the supposed loss of those blessings in the future. How silly is that?

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I think that sometimes, especially in these days of Covid restrictions, we have a tendency to focus on what we cannot do and we do not see the everyday blessings the Lord allows now. Most of us have a roof over our heads, food to eat and a warm place to sleep at night. Dare I complain because of something I think is lacking?

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To do so is to grumble against what the Lord is providing – ‘It’s not enough”, we say. “I need more”, we are apt to moan.

The phrase “attitude of gratitude” is not just a nice phrase. It is a way of living that we need to be constantly developing. Satan is good at his job and he knows that if he can catch us in his web of discontent, we are not as likely to trust God to meet our present and future needs. We will spend too much time in a negative mind set and not enough in a spirit of rejoicing.

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What have you been missing? Has some important part of your past gone to pass, perhaps never to return? What is your mindset about those things? Are you purposefully setting your mind on the wonderful blessings of God in the present?

These thoughts are not just for Thanksgiving. They are meant for every day of every year. Read what the word of God says:

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favour and honour; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” Psalm 84:11

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“The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:10

God wants His children to have good things. We do not always recognize those “good things”, but anything from the hand of God is good and with purpose. So when you feel that you are missing out on the good things of life and long for how “it used to be”, remember to “ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians 5:18

 

B. Klassen bea.k@bell.net