Thankful Thursday

 

 

I find myself needing to ask God for forgiveness a lot recently

 

I've been struggling with my responses to a certain individual

 

I know God tells me to love them, and do good to them

 

but returning good for evil sure doesn't come naturally

 

and I keep crying out for God's help while confessing my sinful nature

 

I'm so thankful God does offer forgiveness and cleansing through the shed blood of Jesus

 

I'm thankful for His patience with me

 

I'm thankful for the heightened awareness of my desperate need of His grace this situation has brought about

 

I know this is not just a battle with this person, but a spiritual battle. 

 

The enemy of my soul would love to see me train wrecked by these circumstances

 

he wants me to give up on trying to love

 

But I'm thankful he was defeated by Jesus' death on the cross

 

thankful God is greater than my guilt and shame

 

I'm thankful for my wife, who continues to encourage me toward grace

 

sometimes I don't want to hear that message, but I'm grateful for her persistence

 

I'm thankful for music, specifically the piano, where I can sit down and pour out myself in songs of worship and prayer.  It is a soothing activity

 

I'm thankful for praying friends who are willing to walk through the challenging times with me

 

I'm thankful God's mercy never reaches its limit, but it is new every morning

 

I'm thankful God doesn't deal with me as my sin deserves, but He is a loving Father who understands me completely

 

He knows my strengths and my weaknesses and invites me to cast all my cares on Him so that He can carry my burdens.

 

I'm thankful He extends grace to me and pray that grace would flow out of me to those around me who need it just as desperately as I do.