It's not about being thankful for the mess...

There is so much going on in the world today. I don't know about the rest of you, but it can become overwhelming.  I was reminded today of the importance of keeping a thankful notebook or something of the sort so we can write things down and keep track of what is good. Because even in the midst of the mess there is always something good, even as small as a lady bug or as beautiful as the night sky.  More importantly I want to make sure everyone understands that being thankful is NOT about being thankful for the mess or stress or ugliness in our lives. For example, if someone is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it's not that we are thankful for this! Yes, there is a verse that tells us to give thanks in all circumstances, but it is NOT saying give thanks for the ugliness. It's about being thankful for what God has done, for who He is, for saving us.  Even more, in the midst of the trial, it can be challenging to say thank you for anything. That's where the list comes in handy. Maybe your thankfulness is for something that happened a long time ago. Or maybe it's your pet. Or the rainbow you saw. The point is to remember to think on those things, to speak of them in prayer, to keep them somewhere to remind you of good. The more you do this, the more good you will see.  It doesn't mean the ugliness will go away or stop happening, but an unexplained strength comes over us when we shift our focus away from the bad. I hope that makes sense!

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