This morning I woke with a mind set on questions and thoughts. Sometimes, I get those. Those questions and thoughts. Feeble I suppose, but human none the less. You know the ones:
"Why does this happen?"
"What was the purpose behind THAT comment, that (so-and-so) said?"
"I wish this would have went more like that...why didn't it?
"Why did this lead to that?"
"...that was weird. That wasn't the outcome I expected!"
"I tried so hard, yet..."
Searching for the answers to those questions can become exhausting. Is it that there are sometimes answers that God doesn't WANT us to know. Maybe, He just knows that we don't NEED to know the answer. Either way, I'm sure of one thing- that we need to come to Him with those questions. We need to come to Him regardless of the outcome we have in mind. We need to come to Him in thanksgiving, and in need. I was praying this morning and God, as good as He is, always faithful, spoke to me Psalm 100. He spoke this passage to me while I was praying thanksgiving to God. Guess what it's called- His Steadfast Love Endures Forever: A PSALM FOR GIVING THANKS! Ironic? No. It is our God who knows our hearts and what we need at that moment. All we need to do is listen.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord,
all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast loves endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
While meditating on this verse, I picked out the words that spoke to my heart:
Joyful
Serve
Come
Know
Enter
Thanksgiving
Thanks
Bless
What a wonderful melody of words to enter into His court with. How lucky are we that we belong to a Father who asks us to live in this way! A life full of joy, thanksgiving, and blessings. What a fresh change from the way many of of us were taught to live by our earthly fathers; or the world in general.
Anyways, I regress.... I realized that when we come to the Lord in thanksgiving, and not full of questions, we find peace. We find peace that the Lord of all is in control. Not us. That "those" questions need not to be answered, but our need lies in Him; and Him alone. Try it. When someone makes you angry. When you find yourself confused over someone or a certain situation. When you are lonely, down-stricken, fatigued, sorrowful, or unsure- Give thanks. I pray you will find yourself joyful and blessed!
P.S. God just blessed my day. Just got done meeting with Ross Stewart (area director for YoungLife in Tacoma, and club leader for Stadium High School) about reaching kids at Stadium and in our community for two hours. Great guy! Was really encouraging! I am blessed to be able to join in on ministry at this school! Thanks to both Ross and Julie Walton! GOD BLESSES US WHEN WE ARE THANKFUL!!
(Coolest school ever- Stadium High School, GO TIGERS!)
