Thank You

This year has been simply amazing. The program at the U of A is perfect for me, Edmonton is a great city, I’ve met some beautiful people, my roommates are fabulous women, and I’ve met a wonderful man. I have not faced many struggles this year, which has caused a new challenge in my relationship with God.

I find it much more difficult to be actively thankful than to be actively dependent. When life is not going well, I run to God. I talk with God. I feel closer to God. I don’t have to make an effort to do this; it’s just a natural reaction. When things are going well, I forget to be thankful and to live out that thankfulness. Being grateful is something I have to consciously choose to do.

What is active thankfulness? At church we talked a bit about praise and how praise is not limited to singing worship songs on Sunday mornings, but how our whole lives should be an act of praise to God. This is how we can thank our maker.

Our attitude in all of this is crucial. I don’t think I should live an honorable life with an attitude of reciprocity…as though I’m obligated to be holy because God is good. “Well, I really should do (insert holy action here) because God has blessed me so much.” Because sometimes, in my pride, I will feel that God is not good. My feelings shouldn’t cause my actions of thankfulness to fluctuate. I’ve got to remember that I am not God…I have to trust that He knows better than I do.

Paul and Silas (Acts 16) had this amazing faith so that even when they were locked up in jail, not knowing what was coming next, they were praising God. This blows me away! I can see myself racing to God for comfort or for direction or for deliverance…but they’re singing praises! Knowing that God is good in a time when it would seem (to our human eyes) that He has forgotten us…I wonder if I could ever come to this place.