Practicing Gratitude

Which has been rather difficult this time 'round.

I am not gonna lie. It's been a rough week.

I've struggled to find things to write in my gratitude journal. Many of the days are just blank. Not because there was nothing to be thankful for, but because writing something down just seemed disingenuous. I haven't FELT thankful much this week about anything.

But I am thankful in weeks like these, that I can rely on God's promises. On His love, His grace, His patience, His forgiveness...

I am grateful for the power of His Holy Spirit working in me, shaping me, even through tough situatons, so that when they are over, I will (hopefully) reflect His glory better than I was or could before.

I'm thankful there is a time for everything ~ a SET time. Only God knows how long it will be, but I can rest in the assurance that it won't be forever. Maybe just another day or two, maybe a week, or maybe it will be a work in progress for many, many years. But in light of eternity, that's still only a temporary problem.

It's like I keep telling my girls when they complain about something being too hard (like practicing piano):

Nothing worth having comes easy.

Especially a close and ever-deepening relationship with my heavenly Father.  And there is nothing worth more than that.

But boy, am I ever thankful God is more patient with me than I am with my girls and their whining about piano practice!

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