Thankful Trust

  I listened to a message the other day by one of my favorite authors, Ann Voskamp. One thing that she said jumped out at me and today when perhaps these words seem harder than they did yesterday the words came to mind again. "Anything less than thankful trust is practical atheism." You see, positionally I am in Christ. He has redeemed me, and sealed me,and nothing will ever change that. I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that God has raised Him from the dead, and by grace and through faith I am saved. But sometimes I can live like I don't believe. I can fret and worry and pray, but not believe. I can hold on to my sin, my guilt, my anxiety rather than surrendering to Him. This is what she is talking about when she says "practical atheism." I do believe but there are days when I cry "Lord, help my unbelief." 

  And thankful trust...what does this look like?

Thanking Him when things are good, thanking Him when things are bad--because in the hand of the Giver it is all good. As Jason Gray says "In the hand of our Redeemer, nothing is wasted." Romans 8:28 puts it this way "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose." 

  Thanking Him when I don't understand His ways. Thanking Him when His ways are not my ways. Thanking Him because His ways are not my ways. 

  Thanking Him today that although I did not get the job I thought I wanted I do have a job and one that I enjoy at that :) 

  Thanking Him for the graces that He gave me in the process--friends that helped me, encouraged me, loaned me suits, read my resume and cover letter over and over again :)

  Thanking Him for friendships that were deepened through the process

Thanking Him most of all that He still leads me. 

This is how I will choose to live out thankful trust today and say "Yes Lord I believe!"