Reaction vs. Action

"Thankfulness should be a reaction."

                                                     -Derek Duncan

This is an area of my life that I sense God has been stirring in me. It started almost two years ago while reading a devotional ("Choosing Gratitude", Nancy De Moss) that recommended writing 5 things every day that you are thankful for.. whether it's the curtains on your window or the car in your driveway... The "Experiencing God" study by Henry Blackaby was life-changing as well, as every day you are to pray, "Lord, open my eyes to what You are doing around me..." May I tell you now, dear friend: One can only be thankful when He opens your eyes to where He is around you.

I could go on to tell the various literal hundreds of stories that could encompass how God has shown me when to be thankful and for what, but for now, I'll just share a few.

This summer was the hardest summer I had ever spent at my favorite place on earth (www.lwcamp.com) ... I felt defeated. I felt angry. I felt justified. I felt entitled...I felt... I ... I... I... It was bad. Thankfully, beautiful souls have reminded me that it is when we are weak that He is strong (II Corinthians 12:8,9) and that He finally gets to work. Nothing is beyond His control. (Just use the whole Bible for that reference!) So I've decided to be thankful... thankful that I was able to be where He wanted me. Thankful to be surrounded by godly men and women who spoke Truth into my life. Thankful to be constantly witness to His beautiful creation. Thankful for a sun tan and novel reading. Thankful for air conditioning. Thankful that He (hopefully) still used me despite myself. THANKFUL.

The Fall came.. bringing with it huge changes and challenges. A hunt for a new place to live. A new roommate. Finances. The singing of the National Anthem.The loss of a friendship. The addition of a second job and all that that entails. You know what? God has provided the grace and strength for every one of these. (And because of this, I know that He will continue to!) These could be small challenges for you- but big and/or complicated for me. In fact He has poured His grace over me so abundantly I have shed tears of joy for the glimpses that He has shared in what He is doing around me... perhaps even through me. As John Piper is noted for saying, "In any given moment God could be doing 10,000 things.. but He may only show you 2 or 3 of those..." I. Am. Just. So. Thankful. And at times, rendered speechless.

My prayer for asking God to open my eyes to what HE is doing around me is being answered.. and to that I am thankful. Reactionally thankful. I pray for it to be even more so as the Winter comes, bringing with it the "Winter Blues". 

May His grace and strength build a wall of un-penetrable thankfulness in us and around us.

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(*For further study, just a FEW of the verses to read on Thankfulness and Rejoicing, read, Philippians 4:4, 6, Colossians 3:15, 16, 17, 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18, 1 Timothy 6:6... just as a jump start.)