Worthy

Worthy of every song we could ever sing
Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring
Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe
We live for you

Jesus the name above every other name
Jesus the only one who could save
Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe
We live for you
Oh we live for you

Holy there is no one like you
There is none beside you
Open up my eyes in wonder
Show me who you are and fill me
With your heart and lead me
In your love to those around me

- Worthy of Every Song
   Housefires

This morning this song began replaying in my mind. 

I am reminded of the Scripture that reminds us to give thanks in everything.  It's not easy to do!  We often live in personal misery that isn't seen by others. Whether or not we believe they would understand it's just a fact of our lives.

Giving thanks when things don't go like we thought?  Yup.
Giving thanks when faced with an uncomfortable situation? That too.
Giving thanks when all we want to do is run?  Yes.
Giving thanks when we sin?  Oooh that's a tough one.  But yes. I do believe in everything means in everything.

It's 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

Why would you give thanks for your sinning?  If indeed you are saved, it certainly should provoke you into coming back to God in repentance.  To be more earnest about not doing whatever it was again.

What provokes such a giving of thanks in everything?  Reread the beginning of that song.  It's not to do with focusing on what hasn't gone right for you it's always and only about worshipping Jesus.  Our eyes are prone to wandering.  We are distracted by everything.  We can't walk a straight stretch of road on our own without something or someone drawing our attention from God.

I will be the first to confess that I face struggles daily.  It's not easy with a multitasking brain to keep it going in 1 direction.  I sin every day. Thankfully God's mercy is new every day.

At times the best that I can do is flood my mind with praise and worship music to have fewer channels of thought going.  It's like watching the growth of a river.  That little creek at the beginning gets wider because as the speed of the water grows and eats more out of its path it gets wider and then you have a river.  Continue with this thinking.  You try to look at a creek you are quickly drawn to everything on both sides of it. The trees. The animals etc.  Easy to lose the creek based on its surroundings.  Then we go downstream.  Much wider now, much less to focus upon because of the width. Now the focus is on the river.

We live in a world that encourages distractions.  Satan loves to introduce and get people to create greater distractions.  Especially the kind that brings false joy and limited peace.  Something, anything, to be focused on that has an element of happiness or even elements of such deep horror that we don't look to Jesus as the answer.  Look at Peter. He was on water. Standing WITH Jesus.  Started looking around and so quickly forgot what he was doing, where he was, and who he was with.  Began to sink.  We are no different.

He obviously was close enough that Jesus could reach him.  Think about that.

When we stumbled, fell, and sinned Jesus was that close to you and I too.

Giving thanks in everything takes worship time.  It takes focus on Jesus.  I groan inside when I sin. Why have I done that!

We have a sin nature.  Also too we have an advocate that forgives us.  Dwelling on the reason for the fall rather than on keeping moving will help no one.  Was it bad? Yes. Was it sin? Yes. Do we need to dwell on it? No.  Jesus never once held a dissertation class on anyone's sin.  The woman caught in adultary. "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."

We need to realize we have been forgiven when we ask for forgiveness from Jesus.

Return to worship and put our eyes where they were meant to be. 

Worry not about tomorrow.  Pray and leave the problem with the one who knows how to handle it.  Do what you have been given to do.  Give thanks in everything.

Make your bed every morning.  Why?

Because if nothing else goes right today you got ONE thing right for sure and for sure have something to be thankful for.

Start today by giving thanks.

Thank God that He loves you.
Thank God He saved you.
Thank God we are one day closer to being with Him forever.

Thanks can be had, we need to look for it.

Put on some praise music and discover just how much you have to be thankful for.