"Realize"

Don’t always realize it,

The goodness of the Lord,

We never will despise it

When the Spirit wields His sword.

But sometimes I get to feelin’,

Like things just won’t go right,

My thoughts all get to reelin’,

Just darkness and no light.

I dreamed just the other night,

That my son had died,

Tossed and turned with that sad sight,

Turns out the dream had lied.

And when I woke the morning next,

Was so relieved you see,

That it was just a nightmare hex,

And nothing real to be.

I thought of all the parents,

Some of them I know,

Who’ve had to bury children,

How they miss them so.

I’ve been through lots of conflict,

Fact I have been divorced,

Sometimes we get tired of it,

Together can’t be forced.

But my friend called the other day,

His wife is almost gone,

The chemo didn’t her health raise,

And she won’t be here long.

And now they have the hospice,

And he’ll soon say good-bye,

I wish he could be spared of this,

But I wouldn’t trade, no lie.

Someone always has it better,

Someone has it worse,

Some bound like a fetter,

Some off in a hearse.

So I just have to say it,

I must have a remind,

God will not okay it,

If I waste any time,

On grumbling or complaining,

And whining through the days,

God’s Spirit is ordaining,

The sacrifice of praise.

Okay, are we ready,

Here’s a brand new day,

The Spirit keeps us steady,

In all give thanks and pray.

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you…” (1 Thess. 5:18, NLT).

Having a thankful attitude can be more challenging than we think. When disaster and tragedy strike, how will we respond? Some are so devastated they never come back from it. That’s a shame, because God’s word tell us that it is God’s will for us to be thankful in every circumstance. We don’t have to like every circumstance, but there is always something to be thankful for. Complaining is a habit like any other. If that habit is replaced by giving thanks, our lives become more positive. Others will want to find the solutions we are experiencing. But if we complain, whine, gossip and argue like everyone else, how will people know we love the Lord and believe He is ultimately in control? It’s something to think about.

Lord, teach us to be thankful in all our circumstances, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Tyler Crow, tylercrow.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Tyler, and God bless you.