….I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in every part….

Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
“’Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.

“These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”

What were you thankful for this year? Were you thankful for all the things you should have been thankful for?

For my own part, I can say that this was just an off year… I found it hard to be thankful. I am thankful, of course, but I definitely didn’t show it like I usually do, and I definitely didn’t feel thankful like I normally do.

I have been given so many things – stuff that I don’t deserve. A good family, a roof over my head, food to eat, access to education, clean drinking water, and lots and lots of “stuff” – material possessions. Very little of this do I actually need. Most of these things are just bells and whistles – to make life easier, more convenient, more entertaining, or whatever.

At the end of the day, we should be thankful for everything, but most thankful for the essentials – the things we can’t live without. This year, I have found myself asking for help to want to want to be thankful – mostly for the essentials:

Oh, when I come to die
Oh, when I come to die
Oh, when I come to die
Give me Jesus