Thanks.

1 Chronicles 16:34

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

I got out of work an hour late tonight. It's been a long day. I have a test coming up in my hardest class. I'm not prepared. Work. School. Homework. Work. Homework. School. That is my life these days. Teachers, coworkers, classmates are asking me if I'm okay because I'm so tired...all the time. My family reluctantly listens to me complain almost everyday. And in those moments, I'm not feeling all that grateful.

But you know what?

God has blessed me with a job, which is more than a lot of people can say. He has blessed me with a somewhat steady income, with which I can sponsor a beautiful child in Burkina Faso. Although class is rough, I'm getting an education. An education! A 14-year-old Pakistani girl was recently shot in the head for promoting that very idea! I live in a country where I have the opportunity to be somebody. I have a family. I am blessed. There's no denying it. I. Am. Blessed.

In 1 Chronicles 16:34, we are told to give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and His love endures forever. This God of ours doesn't just love us for the time being; His love endures forever. He is always good, and He proves it to us every single day. Even something as simple as letting us watch the sun rise in the morning or set in the evening demonstrates how good He is to us. He provides us with air in our lungs and and a beating heart in our chest. We all have so much to be thankful for!

Unfortunately, we often take these little gifts for granted. It is human nature to focus on our problems rather than on everything that is going well for us. I know I can't be the only one. Maybe the "be thankful" speech is overused and a bit cliche, but there's a reason for that. We often only want to thank the Lord when life is going our way. When we experience struggles, however, the "be thankful" message goes in one ear and out the other. It's hard to remember all the good that He does for us when we're stretched more than we'd like.

Nonetheless, even when we are drained emotionally, mentally, and physically, God is there for us. Matthew 11:28 states, "Then Jesus said, 'come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.'" Even when we are exhausted and struggling and barely hanging on, Jesus is providing for us. If nothing else, this right here is an amazing reason to be thankful.

Therefore, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. Really, He is. Even when we are feeling weak and broken, God is there for us, loving us. We have so many reasons to thank Him, so show Him your appreciation. He more than deserves it.

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Trust

Proverbs 3:5-6

New International Version (NIV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

This past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate my birthday with some old friends and family up in Michigan. Not only was I able to meet my brand new nephew and see my niece again, but I also was able to see how my old friends were doing and how college is treating them. After the weekend was over, however, something really dawned on me. For once in my life, I actually felt like I was getting older, and it didn't feel good. This is pretty much what dawned on me:

I'm a young adult over here, and yet my life is in a state of limbo. I'm getting older, but I'm still not even sure what I want to do with my degree when I get it. My friends are all moving forward with the next stage of their lives, and I'm still between stages. Heck, I'm still living with my parents! So this morning, I climbed into my car, all stuck in a rut, and turn on my radio. It's set to KLove, and the first song I heard started like this:

"At twenty years of age

I'm still looking for a dream

A war's already waged for my destiny

But You've already won the battle

And You've got great plans for me

Though I can't always see"

Ironically, my high school youth pastor used to tell me that this song reminded her of me. I listened to the song all the way through and remembered, "Hey, I don't have to have it all figured out. That's God's job, and I trust that He's going to take care of me." What a great feeling!

In Proverbs 3:5-6, we hear that, if we genuinely trust in the Lord with everything in us, He'll make sure our paths are straight. All we have to do is lean on Him and seek His will; He'll take care of the rest. Furthermore, we are not to "lean on [our] own understanding," because that's not what real trust in God looks like. I have no idea where I've heard it before, but I remember a phrase goes something like this: "Nothing ruins life like our perception of how it should be." If we keep limiting ourselves to our own little thoughts of how our life should be, we're going to miss out on the big plans that God has for us. We need to stop leaning on our own understanding and start trusting in the Lord, so He can make our paths straight.

Of course, this is all easier said than done. The fact that I know in my head that God will take care of me does not completely remove the feeling in my heart that I should have it all figured out by now. However, it is a step. After being reminded that my future is in His hands, I can learn to trust it in my heart. God is going to take care of me. I just have to trust Him.

Therefore, trust in the Lord completely, with all your heart. Don't let your perception of how you thought your life would be blur the reality of His goodness. He will not forget about you. If your plans differ from His plans, it's because He has something better in store for you. Just be patient and let Him guide you. He will not lead you wrong.

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The World

Romans 5:8

New International Version (NIV)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The other day, my little sister and I were listening to a popular song that we both enjoy. The song is called "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz. Anyway, my little sister and I are singing along to this song in this kitchen, and she asked me if I watched the music video yet. I informed her that I hadn't, and she told me I should. Then, she said something like, "I don't mind if other people interpret it differently, but Bree, I don't think he's just singing about a girl. He's singing about the world."

Naturally, I watched the video (above) and looked up the lyrics, and I'd have to say that I agree with her. The three choruses of this song are listed below:

"'Cause even the stars they burn

Some even fall to the earth

We've got a lot to learn

God knows we're worth it

No: I won't give up"

"I won't give up on us

Even if the skies get rough

I'm giving you all my love

I'm still looking up, still looking up."

"I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)

God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)

We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)

God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)"

Take a minute to really digest those words. Let them sink in for a minute.

Maybe this song is just talking about a guy who really doesn't want to give up on his girl, but for the sake of this vesper, let's just pretend that my little sister is right here. Even the stars -- they burn. Some even fall to the earth. We've got a lot to learn, but God knows we're worth it. Even the best of us mess up. Some of us completely fall apart. We are not perfect by any stretch; none of us are. But God knows we're worth it.

In Romans 5:8, we are told that, before any person in the world was free from sin, God loved us. Before anyone was truly forgiven for all of the mistakes they made, God was on our team, rooting for us. He sacrificed His only child -- let His son die -- because God thought we're worth it. He knows we're worth it. We mess up every day, we have failed him over and over again, but He still has faith in us. C.S. Lewis once said, "He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less." He cares about every single person in this world, and wants to have a relationship with all of us.

When God tells us to love one another, this is the love He means. He wants us to believe in each other. Pray for our enemies. Sacrifice our own wants for our neighbor's needs. When we understand that God believes in us, we can start believing in ourselves. We can believe in each other. Anyone can read a newspaper and know that the world is a rough place. Sometimes, it's easier to become cold and apathetic than to feel the pain of empathy. However, if we continuously try to pour out our love into all who cross our paths, including complete strangers, we can make an impact on this little world of ours. Maybe not a huge impact, or one that we will see right away, but an impact nonetheless.

Although Christians are not meant to give into the desires off this world, they are not to hate the people who do.  Christians are not meant to feel like they belong to this world; their treasure lies in a different place. Let there be no misunderstanding, though; just because we are called to avoid the sin of this world does not mean we are to give up on the people in it. Striving for a holier life does not equate to turning your back on humanity. People are worth our love and attention. Even sinners. How do we know? Because while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He did not give up on us. We will give up on them.

Therefore, love one another. Have faith in each other. Pray for those in your life. Show kindness to a stranger and forgiveness to an enemy. God knows we're worth it. This world has a lot to learn, but if we continue to look up and give it all of our love, we can make it a better place.

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