Renewed Heart
“A spirit of thankfulness is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord. Thank God in the midst of trials and every persecution.” Billy Graham
Scripture Reading: Psalm 34:1-22, Jeremiah 6:16a, Colossians 3:1-15
“Complaining is draining.”
“Peace and anxiety, thankfulness and complaining, gratitude and selfishness — these things cannot coexist.”
We’ve all heard quotes like these. We all agree and say “Amen”! But what happens when it’s us who face those dark days?
When my daughters were 6 and 2 years old, our very young family fell apart. A number of bad decisions had been made, along with selfishness and complaining that led way to a broken home. The dreams of the white picket fence in the front yard and “happily ever after” had turned into a nightmare that involved alcohol abuse, drug abuse, infidelity, and financial trouble.
The biggest problem was that God was not the leader of our home, much the less our lives. We had set our minds on “earthly things” and our own selfish pleasures. I look back on those days and realize the stronghold that the devil had when he trapped us into believing lies, running them over and over in our minds, eventually coming out of our mouths as grumbling, complaining, accusations, and hateful words. Our hearts were NOT attuned to God. We could barely make it through the “good” days, much less the trials we faced. Instead of looking to the Heavenly Father to lead us, refine us, teach us, and carry us through, the blame went to one another, pointing fingers, and trying to blindly find our own way through the desert without the Good Shepherd. Eventually the selfishness and finger pointing was more than anyone could bear. The devil won this one. Our family split.
The good news for today is what happened a few years after that. I finally surrendered my heart and life to Jesus. God became the leader of my life and home!
I can trust Him, even thank Him through the trials and struggles because I know there is a purpose and a plan. I can ask Him to lead me through the rocky paths of life and He will! Even when straight evil comes against me, I can thank Him – because I am assured by the truth in His word that “what the enemy meant for evil, God will turn to good!”
I can’t tell you the number of times that I wanted something so badly I could just taste it – a job, a relationship, a house, even an expected grandchild, and God just took it out of the picture. Vanished! One day I was so full of hope and excitement, the next day, it was gone. How in the world can I thank Him during times like these? My friend, I do not have this “thankfulness in the storm” mastered, but I do know it is what I must strive to do. With each storm I face that breaks my heart, I DO know that His plan is perfect. It doesn’t always feel good – sometimes it even feels like I could physically die from the pain in my heart. BUT, He knows what is best and He never makes mistakes! I have also learned, that if He allowed a situation, disappointment, or heartbreak to touch my life, there is always something He wants to teach me through it. It can be very difficult, but now when I face a trial, I try to lift my eyes up and say “Lord, is there something in my heart or life that needs to change? What new things do you desire for me to learn through this? Search my heart, O Lord. Please open my eyes so that I will see all that you want me to see.” When I manage to pray that prayer in the middle of a trial, God will often reveal things to me – maybe it is something wrong in my heart that needs to change, or maybe it’s an area that I need to grow more in (like compassion and kindness towards others or my faith in Him), and then sometimes it’s just that He has something even better planned for my life! Whatever trials I face, He allows them to touch my life…. and there IS always a reason!
My biggest comfort comes when I can actually sit down in my tears and remind myself of what I know is true –
God loves me! He is faithful! He never fails! He never leaves me! His plan is perfect! His ways are higher than my ways! His thoughts are higher than my thoughts! His plans are not to harm me but to prosper me! “Thank Him, Linda! He is in control and you are in His hands! What you do not see, He does! Just trust Him and lift your heart towards Heaven and praise the Lord!”
And as I begin to praise Him in the storm, my heart is lifted; and as my heart is lifted, more praises flow! Even my countenance changes. Anxiety, worry, complaining, despair – they all have to pack their suitcases and leave!
If I dwell on what I’ve lost or don’t have, I will start to sink because of my despair and selfishness. When I dwell on what I do have and stand firm on the fact that my God knows what is best, I will start to rise and the praises will overflow! “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow! As we praise Him, we tell Him that we trust Him — we trust that He will heal our hearts, He will teach us something deeper and stronger, and that He will use it for our good.
No matter where I am
And every tear I’ve cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm. – Casting Crowns
What if we woke up tomorrow, only with the things that we thanked God for today?
Through His Mighty Grace,
+Linda
Thank you Linda for this message, I love the last question.. What if we woke up tomorrow, only with the things we thanked God for today? That is a powerful question and one I need to remember each morning when I roll out of bed and start my day.. A grateful heart is a beautiful heart.
Good morning, Della! ☀️ Yes – every time I ask myself that question I realize how short I have fallen in thanking God for my many blessings! Striving each day to be more a thankful child to my Heavenly Father.