Thankful on Thursday

Last week, I locked myself out of my car.

I was at a gas station 20 miles from home. It was 540 in the morning.
To make this even more spectacular, I didn't just lock my keys inside my car- I locked my keys, my purse, my phone and my jacket inside as well.

I had to run inside the gas station and ask the attendant to borrow his phone so I could call Thomas and ask him to call AAA to come to my rescue.

What's even better is, I left my phone, my keys and my purse {with my wallet} on the front passenger seat of the car, all in plain view, so I had to wait for the tow truck outside, next to the car... in the freezing cold... without a jacket {I was in a tank top..}

yeah.
that morning is definitely not making my list of top ten greatest mornings.

Lately, I feel like things of this nature have been happening to me so often.

I slept through my alarm and was almost late to work every day last week.
The car wouldn't start for me on Sunday {operator error and I was way to rushed to notice.}
I completely forgot about my scheduled Parent-Teacher conference last Thursday with McKynlie's teachers.

No matter how hard I try, I cannot keep up on my household chores. I try to clean the floors and I can only get as far as removing and shaking the rugs out and sweeping... I can't seem to get to the mopping part.
I try to scour the bathrooms and I am only able to finish the toilets.

Laundry? I wont even go there...

I feel like I can't catch a break. Like I can't catch up... I feel like waves of struggle, frustration, desperation and defeat keep crashing over me and all around me. I feel like I am drowning.

I feel stuck in circumstances I desperately want out of. I feel helpless, unsure and panic-stricken. I feel my mind constantly being crowded with thoughts of hopelessness and discouragement.

Sometimes, the cries of my son and the whines that slip out of my young girls' mouths are enough to push me over the edge.

And the thought of repeating myself one more time or cleaning up one more unnecessary mess makes me feel like I am on the verge of insanity.

My body is listless and overcome by exhaustion.

I am overwhelmed.

I feel like I am about to break and crumble. 

The circumstances of my day-to-day shout out, "You can't do this!"

and you know what... they're right.

I can't do this... Not alone atleast.

But, even through these {ever-so-often} times of struggle, I have hope. And I am thankful.

Because God promises I can do this with Him. 
He promises I can do ANYTHING with Him.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

{Philippians 4:13} 

God promises He will always be with me. He will go before me and He give me rest when I am weary and overcome with exhaustion.

"...and lo, I am with you always, 

even to the end of the age."

 {Matthew 28:20}

 The Lord replied, 

“My Presence will go with you,

 and I will give you rest.” 

{Exodus 33:14}

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you;

 he will never leave you nor forsake you. 

{Deuteronomy 31:8}

 Come to me,

 all you who are weary and burdened, 

and I will give you rest.  

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

 for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.  

 {Matthew 11:28-30}

 

I have hope and I am thankful because our God is He. The great I am. The true and living God. The Almighty. The Kings of Kings. Our loving Father.

And even though we have bad days, weeks and sometimes longer,

He is gracious and kind. 

He is our Savior.

 Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

{Isaiah 46:4}

As I am growing in my walk with the Lord, I am becoming more and more thankful for the difficult times, because I know that through them, God is working in me. And He wants to rescue me.

He is molding me and shaping me.

He is gently disciplining me and showing me the way I should go. 

He is leading me and catching me when I fall {and boy, do I fall!}

Everyday, He is whispering this verse to me over and over and over...

“My grace is sufficient for you, 

for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

{2 Corinthians 12:9}

 His power is made perfect in MY weakness.

If I didn't have days and weeks full of trials {like my last week} I would never know my weaknesses. I would never know just how much I need my God.

I am so thankful to know I need Him.

And so, I leave you with a verse I have shared before on Thankful on Thursdays...

.. be thankful in all circumstances; 

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

{1 Thessalonians 5:18}

Be thankful in the hard times my friends, God is trying to speak to you.