THANKFUL AMID A PANDEMIC

I Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Sitting back recalling everything that has taken place this year has undoubtedly been overwhelming for me. I have had so many fearful emotions, from extremely happy to even learning how to be content. It hasn't been easy, and I'm sure you can attest to this. However, I can indeed thank God for all the things He's blessed me with this year. I'm sure some of your blessings can lead you to throw up some praises as well. Sometimes I begin to tear up because even in a pandemic, He has blessed and protected me. I've started off this year with being fearful and unsure of how God would work out my circumstances, but He did. He has taught me many valuable lessons, but honestly, I still forget them from time to time. So, recently I decided to develop a healthy tool to remember what God has spoken to me. Hoping that it helped when one of my counsels had given me an awesome nugget to get me through, or even when I learned by simply going through it. A "Go-to journal will be specifically for this. Creating a system for yourself will help you do the same. Whatever that system may be for you- the objective is to be consistent. Honestly, this is a habit I had to learn. With the busyness of life, writing every little thing or simply remembering everything can be difficult. But guess what, with the advancement of technology, isn't that what our phones are for? Lol, Whenever you receive something that's life-changing, simply creating a note on your phone via manual or audio will be helpful. When you get home, you can transfer them into your journal or simply keep it where it is. Even with simple routines to assist in moving our lives along, we're still going to experience bumps in the road. However, the Word tells us to in I Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I will admit this isn't the easiest thing to do. When I was diagnosed with depression in 2008, my first thought wasn't to rejoice in all things, and even now, I may forget to rejoice in all things. There are days where the feelings may overwhelm us to where all we can do is cry. But we must continue to meditate on His Word, so it may penetrate our hearts and change how we will live. So, this challenge is for us both. When times get difficult, our first thought may be to cry or call someone to tell them all about our dilemma. However, instead, Pause. Rejoice and begin to thank God for where you are. Trust there is someone worst off than you're current circumstance. Pray and cast every single care onto Him. Trust He will come through in His timing. There's a lesson in all things but remain thankful through it all.