I am so grateful. I want to be so grateful. I love when I come to the end of something and can see how God worked things to come together for good- when I literally can see His promises of goodness fulfilled.
However, we aren’t really supposed to wait until that point to be grateful. We should worship in thanksgiving in the midst of it because we know He will grant what He has promised … even if we don’t see it yet.
In Genesis 24, Abraham sent a servant to get a wife for Isaac ~ confident that God would go before the servant and provide. The servant made a sign with God to know which woman to choose. When the woman said the words of the signal, the servant praised God. Then and there – before talking to her father (which would have been essential to closing any marriage agreement).
Anything could have still gone wrong. Yet, the servant didn’t wait until he had talked and confirmed with her dad or for all the details to be finalized. He worshipped and thanked God for the blessing in the midst of it. He stopped the process midway because he knew God would see it through.
How often do I do this? Or do I wait until it’s “safe” to be thankful?
God is so good. It doesn’t always make sense. It doesn’t always seem fair, let along pleasant. But He is good and honest and just…and we can stop midway in the process, uncertain of the details and worship Him in gratefullness because He is in control and will provide according to His promises and His will.
So, let’s stop waiting until the end of a process and start worshipping and thanking Him right in the midst of the process. Maybe it will be in the midst of a process where the positivie end is in sight like this servant, or maybe it will be in the midst of it when it is painful and dark with no light in sight.
Any time and all times, I want my soul to sing His praise! I just have to remember to stop and keep my eyes focused on Him in thanksgiving.
-S