A Heart of Gratitude

Yes, a simple basic thought. Yet, when faced with constant drama, dissention, fights, and frustrations how do  you have gratitude. When it seems like everything is against you, how do you keep going? This has been my thoughts as of recent. I have felt so many burdens that I have started focusing on the hardships. I have never liked conflict. I have never liked drama. I don’t think I am great at dealing with it.  Yet, this is what God has plopped me in the middle of.

It is in my weakness that I boast. It is in the suffering that I can declare the Lord is with Me. It is when I am done and give it all to God that He gets the glory. He is glorified when the girls realize a fight over a simple shirt goes deeper. That their anger over a shirt, which has escalated to I’m leaving the shelter and no one loves me, is because they are hurting from past abuse and rapes. Their anger and hurt was because their moms have stated, I don’t love you and am done with you. He is glorified when the girls are starting to talk about forgiveness and how it will bring their freedom. He gets the glory when the girls make the decision to love and accept even when they are still learning what that means.  They realize that even in their suffering God has provided a hope for the future. 

So, if the girls can see that God has provided a hope of a future despite the sufferings then how much more do I get to see that in the midst of my suffering, God is working. He has me here to help these girls realize their future. To give them a God story that only He can write. God has provided me with support and with encouragement at just the right moments that I need it. He has provided me with the ability to see Him working in ways that are so beyond me. He has been so real to me in the hard exhausting days.  He has invited me to join Him. My sufferings might just be for the salvation of another soul. My life is not about me. It is about Him and His works! I am blessed not because of what I have or what I do but because of who He is.           

 He is Able. He is Enough. He is Provider. He is Love.