In spite of all the hardships of the past 16 months, I'm thankful.
I'm thankful for my husband who travels with me on this journey and loves me anyway.
I'm thankful for my children who I know love me yet also contribute to some of the toughest days of my life.
I'm thankful for my home, car, and all the other material stuff I'm blessed with.
I'm thankful for my health, my challenging (to say the least) job, and my dogs who keep me company, listen to my woes, and love me unconditionally.
I'm thankful that God chose me. He knew that I would choose Him at an early age, not be a perfect child or teenager then would make the choice to live a holy life for Him. I'm not saying I'm perfect by any means, but God sees through my sin and selfishness to the true part of me that's been washed white by the blood of Jesus.
I had a conversation with my son about his choices. He says he doesn't believe that he was born this way, which to me makes it a choice, but I also understand that it somehow chooses you. By it, I suppose I mean that this is his particular bent to sin or what the devil uses against him every time. We all have something, some button that we think is secret maybe, but the enemy knows what it is and never hesitates to use it against us. That's his plan because his goal is only to steel, kill, and destroy. Anyway, I used the scripture in 1 Corinthians 6:10-11 where it lists several sins then verse 11 says "and such were some of you BUT..." He argued that that's just a blanket of sin there in verse 10 and that in the original language it doesn't say "homosexuality." I pointed out that no matter what specific word is used he could put himself in there with some of the others such as "sexually immoral, drunkards, greedy," etc. and I coined pick out a few for myself too. The point is verse 11:
“Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT
Therefore, the choice comes down to whether we want to live a holy life. We've been made holy and right with God. Do we choose to live it or continue to live in sin? That's the question I asked my son.
Seeds have been planted. They're still there. I believe the Holy Spirit watered them a little this week. I'm praying for growth and a harvest, and I know that's in line with God's will so He will do it in the right time. Yes, there are still hard days and days that I take my eyes off Jesus and put them on the problem instead, but I know "for He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23 Therefore, I'm thankful. I'm thankful for circumstances that draw me closer to God and help me learn to trust Him more truly with everything.
A verse I'm trying to commit to memory is 2 Corinthians 1:4:
“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.” 2 Corinthians 1:4-6 NLT
I'm not suffering for nothing. I go through things so that I can help others. I'm trying to keep that in mind.
Find something to be thankful for today friends. If you can't find anything but the hard things today, be thankful for them because you are that person sent to help someone else through this horribly painful situation that we find ourselves in.