It is easy to preach about thanking the Lord for everything.
When tragedy strikes and you can barely put one foot in front of the other, it is not so easy.
The bottom line is, do you really believe He has only the best for you?
Do you really believe He will withhold no good thing? (Psalm 84:11)
Can He be trusted, or is He an inconsistent God?
It may sound simple in seasons of calm, but when the unthinkable happens, even the most stalwart of Soldiers feels crippled.
Inasmuch as our walk is one of faith, there are times when we must come before Him and do what can feel like going through the motions. I remember being a very young woman and a Christian of only a few years. I found myself dealing with staggering loss, and it was so penetrating that I wondered how I could even drive or teach my classes.
One morning while I was meeting with the Lord, I thought to thank Him for the thing, even though it was the last thing in the world I felt like doing. As I did so, I was reminded that He only has the best for us, and this must have been His best.
About a year later, I sat at the kitchen table with a regional director of a very large world-wide Christian organization. It was three in the morning and he had been weeping for at least two hours and was pouring out his heart about a matter. He was expressing doubt that God paid attention to us at all. Then he began to question the reality of God. Over the years, I have found this is not uncommon among Believers, or even those in ministry.
We have the Indwelling Holy Spirit, who gently and powerfully leads us as we move forward into the frontier of faith.
And, we can only learn to be truly thankful when we are able to thank Him in prayer. That is obedience, and then there is more room for the Healer.
You are a Soldier of The Cross, you have made the decision to follow Him. You told Him you want to be a disciple.
Ask Him to continue to reveal to you the taking up of The Cross. Always be asking Him to continue to teach you about and lead you in prayer.
Ask Him Aloud. Today.
Then, look up and move on!