Thankful Thursday

So I’ve decided to make Thursday’s one of my two posts each week, each one highlighting something I’m especially grateful for.   “Thankful Thursday” may sound cheesy–or even like a cliché …but being thankful is anything but cheesy or  cliché.  Being thankful promotes optimism and joy and reduces stress and keeps us connected with God.  It’s a natural medicine.

With that said, today I’m especially thankful for unanswered prayers.

If God had answered every one of my prayers along my life’s journey, I would be in one heaping pile of trouble, much too deep to ever dig my way out.  One hot mess.

I have learned that some of the most powerful God-speak is in the unanswered prayers.  In fact, I’ve come to realize it’s not that they haven’t been answered, just not in the way I had hoped for at the time.

Thank God.  Literally.

If any one of those relationships I had prayed so fervently for as a young adult would have come to be, I shiver at the thought of where I would be today.

My unhealthy mind was not capable of making a wise choice back then, too hazed by numbing agents, to even know what it was I wanted.  God, however, not only knew what I wanted, but more importantly, He knew what I needed.  And that was to let go of those abusive relationships.  He made sure that happened by not answering my prayers according to my desires.

Again, thank God.

I remember praying to have knowledge of how long I would live on this earth, how much time I would have to spend with loved ones.  God knew better than to give me that answer.  If it were to be a short time, I would have done nothing but worry and mourn until that day arrived.  Worry robs us of life.

On the other hand, if He answered by telling me I would have a long life, I may not live each day as if it were my last. As the gift it truly is.

Thank God.

If God had chosen to answer my prayers to make my life easy, conflict-free, and always full of sunshine, I would miss the rainbow after the rain, the calm after the storm.  I would wither from weakness rather than grow in strength and perseverance through trials.

Yet again, thank God.

Now when I pray, I’ve learned to end all with, “Not mine, but Thy will be done.”  That takes me out of God’s way to work His miracles in my life.  Rather than give me everything I want as a spoiled child, He loves me enough to give me what I need.

And thank God for that.

All is Grace.