In Everything, Give Thanks

Lamenations 3

1 I am the man who has seen affliction
by the rod of his wrath.
2 He has driven me away and made me walk
in darkness rather than light;
3 indeed, he has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.
4 He has made my skin and my flesh grow old
and has broken my bones.
5 He has besieged me and surrounded me
with bitterness and hardship.
6 He has made me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.
7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape;
he has weighed me down with chains.
8 Even when I call out or cry for help,
he shuts out my prayer.
9 He has barred my way with blocks of stone;
he has made my paths crooked.
10 Like a bear lying in wait,
like a lion in hiding,
11 he dragged me from the path and mangled me
and left me without help.
12 He drew his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.
13 He pierced my heart
with arrows from his quiver.
14 I became the laughingstock of all my people;
they mock me in song all day long.
15 He has filled me with bitter herbs
and sated me with gall.
16 He has broken my teeth with gravel;
he has trampled me in the dust.
17 I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 So I say, "My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the LORD."
19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

This weekend has been a trying weekend for us, with not a whole lot of good news coming our way. This passage from the Bible has really been sticking in my brain for some reason, and I know that it's from God. There has been so much pain and hurt, and it's hard to see that God can use that for good. But when we keep our trust in Him and see that each day is a new day for Him, one can rest a little easier in Him knowing this.

There is an old hymn that we used to sing a lot at my mom's church growing up. Some of the words are a little old and such, but it definitely correlates to what has been going on in our lives lately.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

There is always HOPE that God is doing the right thing for us and allows for things to happen in our life. God's way is perfect and exactly the right plan for us. I just need to redirect my focus and keep God in the center of everything, and after that, things will fall into place.

There are probably some of you out there reading this that aren't very "spiritual" or religious" but are struggling with things in your life. Just know that you can turn those struggles over to someone much bigger than you. I'm so thankful that I can do that! My hands are too small to carry everything I have on my plate. I'm glad that God is there to carry it for me. At least I know its' being carried in good hands!!