Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie
November 2017
Copyright
“How on earth do I give thanks when I feel like life is so difficult right now and painful,” I muttered to myself as I pondered everything going on in my life.
I was a tired mother of three children, a busy business owner with 250 clients, active in the church and community and my marriage was not doing great. I was exhausted, to say the least.
A day or two after I said the above question, my baby got pneumonia. This generated extra care for my little one, frequent breathing treatments he despised and would scream through, as I tried to be a good parent.
A few days into the pneumonia battle, my daughter spent the night at a friend’s house and came home with lice. This created even more work for me, as if taking care of a house and three children was not enough. The next day, the school called and said my oldest son had pink eye!
“Surely God understood that I had enough on my plate and did not have time to be thankful,” I said to myself as I tended to my tasks.
The truth is, God did understand and He wanted to help me overcome the adversity I was facing. Some days in our life on this earth are just awful. He does not engineer difficult circumstances just so He can produce good; however, He works within us and through us to bring us to a better place. We are in Christ no matter what is happening in our lives and we just have to tap into that place with Him.
“Help me Lord,” I prayed. I knew God was the only one I could depend on.
The next morning, I opened my Bible and began reading II Corinthians 2:14, which states, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and though us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” (NIV)
If you read the first part of the chapter, things were not easy for Paul, however, Paul had a confidence in God’s ability to overcome his challenges. I needed that and I needed it yesterday!
Several words stuck out to me as I read and reread this verse.
- thanks
- lead
- always
- triumphal procession
I discovered, I had to do my part and that was give thanks. I began to thank God for his ability to lead me to triumph. I also began to thank him for my kids, even though they all had physical battles and I was exhausted and miserable. I began to thank God for his love for me. My heart began to change. Thanksgiving adjusts our attitude.
Next, I began to look to God and believe that He would lead me. My job was to submit my day and my heart to Him and to follow Him. I began to thank him for my husband too, even though I was not real happy with him at the time.
“God, I thank you for my husband and kids, thank you for your love and thank you that you want to lead me and help me overcome,” I prayed. “I choose to believe you always work things together for my good and I look to your ability, not my own,” I continued. Please note I did not thank God for the difficulties but for what I could be thankful for and put my trust in Him.
In the days and months that followed that Thanksgiving, the lice and the pink eye were gone from my house, even though these childhood plagues went through all three kids. My baby got over the pneumonia, however, he had to continue the breathing treatment for a while as he was sensitive to upper respiratory infections.
I continued to give thanks for my husband and God began to work in both of our lives, and I began to look to God to change things in our marriage, instead of me trying to change him. Our marriage began to heal and it started with my heart changing first.
Not long ago, I reread II Corinthians 2:14 and could see very clearly how God led me in triumphal procession, step by step. I had to smile at God’s faithfulness.
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| Pop meets Grant |
Yes, there are still difficult days in my life, however, I am real quick to give thanks and look for how God is going to lead me step by step to get the better of the situation. He is always there to lead me, I just have to follow.
The great news is when we partner with God, thank Him and lean on Him in difficult days, we are developing a testimony in our lives and a confidence in Him. Others see that in our lives and are drawn to that fragrance. In the two days I have been working on this article, I have had four people text or call for prayer or encouragement. I know it is not me, but Christ in me they are drawn to.
Right now is a good time to thank God for something in your life and partner with Him. If you are having difficulty, ask Him to help you develop thankfulness in your life. We can always thank Him for being with us and helping us. We can ask Him to open our eyes to see how we can be changed and triumph. Get excited about the triumphal procession that is ahead!
Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie is a native of the Hill Country, educator, writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping others discover the joy of walking with God and their value. You can contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com and on her blog www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com
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