Gratefulness

I have a new perspective on gratefulness this year.  It has been an extremely difficult few months, and I honestly felt like I had very little to be thankful for.  So when November began and I started listing the things I was grateful for each day on facebook, I very quickly ran out of things.  I knew that was unacceptable, and I knew focusing on the Lord will bring gratefulness.  I will have you know it works.  There were many days that I had a lot of difficulty coming up with something to be thankful for.  Like today,  I spent several hours in the ER with my husband last night into this morning.  They found nothing wrong, and yet the symptoms are continuing today.  He feels so badly that we are spending Thanksgiving at home by ourselves.  I am anxious watching him try to get his breathe, calm his racing heart down, and fight the nausea.  It is a bit depressing as we sit here, and yet, we have so very much to be thankful. We don't have health, we aren't surrounded by family, etc, etc . . . I can focus here, or I can focus on the Lord. 

Focusing on the Lord brings true joy, peace, and rest.  He is the only source.  As I look at the facts that He chose me, He loves me, He has our best in mind, He knows me better than I know myself, He heals, He provides, He gives strength and grace to sustain, etc.  James tells us to rejoice in difficulty because it will make us complete.  I have such a hard time being still, and allowing Him to be God.  I am always trying to fix things!  I don't have to!  Even if He chose to take one of us Home . . . that is Heaven!  Heaven is a perfect place without all of the sin and chaos of this broken and fallen world.  He has given us everything we need.  I need to always be looking solely on the face of Christ.  Everything else causes frustration and anxiety. 

God, help me to focus on your face today.  Help me to sing Your praises.  Help me to rest in Your promises.  Thank you for saving me and claiming me as one of Your own.   I'm a daughter of the King.