Still Say Thank You
Hey there! It’s been a little while since I’ve connected with you (a little more on that in a bit) but during my time away, I’ve had some time to reflect and be still. The countdown to Thanksgiving has begun and I have been giving thought to the things that I am thankful for. We have a tradition in my family where we say what we are thankful for right before saying grace over the Thanksgiving meal. So many things come to mind for what I am grateful for in this season like family, employment, or good relationships and friendships, but I think beyond these things this year I am honestly grateful for the rough times I had this year.
You read that right, this year I’m happy for hard times, tears cried, physical pain, and even loss. Now, remember earlier I mentioned the time gap since we last connected, well I was gone for the past month or so because of intense back spasms. It was hard to walk, stand up straight, sit and sometimes even breathe. These spasms lasted for a month and it was truly a rough time. I remember falling asleep one night wondering why God was allowing this to happen to me, I mean I prayed every day that He’d make it stop but, for some reason, it just continued. I thought of the scripture in Psalms where David talks about being grateful for affliction.
It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
Psalms 119:71
The thing about pain and suffering is that when you are in the middle of it, it can begin to feel as if what you are experiencing, whether emotionally, mentally, or physically will last forever but, when God is your foundation, things DO get better with time. In this Psalm, David recalls his past pain and suffering, decides to take a grateful approach, and gives thanks because of the lessons gained.
I went to the doctor and they confirmed that my back spams although painful, were not causing any issues and would go away with time. As I moved along throughout my day, I thought to myself, what is God possibly teaching me through this rough patch? After careful and quiet thought, I realized,
I needed to honor God with my body by consistently taking care of myself by stretching and exercising regularly and eating healthy foods. 1 Corinthians 16:20
Address stressors and concerns to avoid internalizing stress through prayer and counsel. Philippians 4:6 & Proverbs 19:20
Maybe you are like me and, you’ve recently gone through or are currently going through your own form of affliction; a heartbreaking breakup, a whirlwind of emotions during this holiday season, feeling isolated from friends and family, or difficulty on your job. Wherever you find yourself, know that God is for you and is working in whatever “it” is. In this holiday season, take some time from the fast pace of life to pause and reflect on how God is working in your life and what He is teaching you. I pray that your eyes are opened to see the good in this season and, you will be able to give thanks and count “it” all joy.