Giving Thanks Daily: Day 641 of Giving Thanks

‎Change for all of us is a step-by-step, moment to moment change in our behavior. That's all... and with and in His strength, we just move forward. Reminding ourselves often of who we are in Christ, and shine, shine, shine...

It was a normal day. As I headed to work today, I just knew it would be very busy, not busy where you don’t stop working, but a busy day that you know if you do stop, things will not get completed. Yet, as the day progressed, and the “tasks at hand” seemed to be unending, I did make it through, and was out the door and onto my evening. I love Fridays, mostly because it is a day that things get finished. But this has not been the case for quite some time. My desk is as stacked on Friday afternoons as much as any other day. It seems the stacks are just not going down, little is accomplished – until I look back over “the list”, my friends, it is “the list” that shows the truth.

But, I was writing about change, wasn’t I? Bear with me. You see, without my list I cannot see what was accomplished all week, if I look at the piles, it all looks the same, familiar and unchanged. “The list” is also necessary so I can see change in myself - my list is my writing - my journal, where I write my prayers, what I want to change and the praises. And over time, I can go back and see what God has accomplished in my life. A normal day in the life of being God’s child. What an exciting time it is to go back and see His changes in me.

‎"He loves me the way I am and loves me enough to help me change. " ~Me

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” ~Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

He loves me intentionally and that is why He gave me the Holy Spirit... So I too can be intentional as I come to Him. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." ~Romans 8:26

Sometimes we believe time will not be provided amply enough to do “all” that needs to change. I am assured, He is the power we have to do the changes and thankfully, He knows not time as we do... so all is done effortlessly for our mighty God.

I have changed, because of His work in me; and He has worked in me because He knows my voice and I am learning to hear his and oh, how I love to hear His voice and to do what He requests of me.

"To love God means that we obey his commandments. Obeying his commandments isn’t difficult because everyone who has been born from God has won the victory over the world. Our faith is what wins the victory over the world. Who wins the victory over the world? Isn’t it the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" ~1 John 4:3-5 (GW)

I find great comfort in knowing that our prayers are not always answered with a yes or right now, however, God can answer them with "not now" and "no". Those are still answers. We don't know when He will answer, but He will.

I find great comfort in knowing that God gives us what we NEED, not necessarily what we WANT/DESIRE. He tells us to bring our desires to Him. To allow the Holy Spirit to intercede for us. When our prayers are of a pure heart, pure intent and in gratitude, He hears. He knows what is best for us. "YOUR WILL LORD be done", "Your timing", "Your plan". In Jeremiah 33:3, He says, “Call unto me,” and that has been instrumental in the changes in me.