30 Days of Gratitude

So I’m thanking you with all my heart, with gratitude for all you’ve done. I will do everything I’ve promised you, Lord. Psalm 56:11-12 (TPT).’

Day 6 * Just Grateful: Warmly or deeply appreciative of kindnesses or benefits received; indebted and beholden

God, I have to be honest about something. It’s really hard to be grateful this year. I don’t even know what to say. Thanksgiving is around the corner and I seem to have lost my voice. It seems it is a year of demise and decline. Dreams have detonated; businesses like bombs have blown apart; energy has exploded its negativity like a volcano spewing heated opinions high into the air. Doors were forced closed to churches and people’s livelihoods pressed them into professional hibernation. There’s been climate change to our way of life and thinking and motivating. Isolation has painted us in corners we never thought we would languish in. How can I feel warm appreciation for this? Awakening to yet another day that offers no more fulfillment than what color of mask to wear and knowing I have finally properly social distanced from letting anyone into my bubble. Will I ever again, God, let anyone in? Will it ever be safe to fellowship again? Where are you, God?

Psalm 77
‘I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might, I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens. I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn’t heal. When friends said, “Everything will turn out all right,” I didn’t believe a word they said. I remember God—and shake my head. I bow my head—then wring my hands. I’m awake all night—not a wink of sleep; I can’t even say what’s bothering me. I go over the days one by one, I ponder the years gone by. I strum my lute all through the night, wondering how to get my life together. Will the Lord walk off and leave us for good? Will he never smile again? Is his love worn threadbare? Has his salvation promise burned out? Has God forgotten his manners? Has he angrily stalked off and left us? “Just my luck,” I said. “The High God goes out of business just the moment I need him.” Once again, I’ll go over what GOD has done, lay out on the table the ancient wonders; I’ll ponder all the things you’ve accomplished, and give a long, loving look at your acts. O God! Your way is holy! No god is great like God! You’re the God who makes things happen; you showed everyone what you can do— You pulled your people out of the worst kind of trouble, rescued the children of Jacob and Joseph. Ocean saw you in action, God, saw you and trembled with fear; Deep Ocean was scared to death. Clouds belched buckets of rain, Sky exploded with thunder, your arrows flashing this way and that. From Whirlwind came your thundering voice, Lightning exposed the world, Earth reeled and rocked. You strode right through Ocean, walked straight through roaring Ocean, but nobody saw you come or go. Hidden in the hands of Moses and Aaron, You led your people like a flock of sheep (MSG).’