Dear LORD God, as I get closer to heaven each day, I am learning to thank You for my hard times and praise You for ongoing troubles, regardless of how I'm feeling.
I used to bemoan what I saw as bad circumstances in my life. I could not believe You called us—like Abraham—to go to the desert without telling us why. Initially, I was angry. Obedient, but angry.
But Lord, I am learning. I am learning to glorify You by always giving thanks, even in the midst of adversity—because of who You are and all that You've done for me.
And now I see it: Had we not gone to the desert, we would not be in the best place we've ever lived.
You were not punishing us. You were positioning us. The desert was not a detour; it was a destination in disguise. You were teaching us to trust You when the map made no sense.
Thank You for teaching me to be grateful—no matter what.
Amen and Amen.
Verses for Today: "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." — (Hebrews 11:8)
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." — (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
"My God is at work in everything for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." — (Romans 8:28 )
"The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." — (Isaiah 35:1)
