As I reflect on a completed Lent term, I definitely feel a sense of gratefulness for God for bringing me this far. This year was very different from what I would have wanted but at the same time, thinking about my journey and about what others have gone through, not just friends personally but even strangers, there are a lot of things to be thankful for in my life. I’m not trying to say my life is good and that it’s wrong to feel sad or to mourn when things turn sour. Rather, there are a lot of things to thank God for; and the things that I complain about can upon reflection reveal themselves to be selfish at times.
The Bible teaches us that God is a good and righteous God that provides and cares for us greatly. In Psalm 107:1, it says:
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
and again in Psalm 27:8, it says:
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.”
God is the one that sent his son to die for our sins, that made the world and all its splendor and beauty for us to enjoy. Sometimes you don’t know how life works and where God will take you but I’ve met people who strive to find contentment as they commit their lives to God at every waking moment. Every decision prayed for and every blessing or hardship lifted up in prayer. Whatever season we are in, we must remember the goodness that God has given us, and that at the end of the day, he will bring us out of slavery to sin and into salvation as long as we keep a hold of him. I feel such a mindset can be a source of strength to rely on, that we are serving a good and righteous God that can bring joy, peace and hope that surpasses all understanding. Therefore we can learn to be more grateful for the things we have and to complain less for the things we don’t.
