10,000 Reasons

My nine month old is FINALLY teething. What a wonderful moment when I realized that long anticipated tooth was finally on its way! He's such a big eater, and there are so many things I know he will enjoy, but, alas, he can't eat them without teeth! And of all the babies we know around his age, Jake is the only one who is still toothless! However, teeth don't come easy. The teething process has been torture for everyone around here. The only thing that seems to help is ice cream. Unfortunately, he can't eat ice cream all day long.

Yesterday was particularly difficult. There was lots of whining. I'd pick him up and he'd want to get down. I'd put him down and he'd want me to pick him up. He wanted to eat, and then he didn't want to eat. His little arms and legs never stopped moving all day long. He was probably trying to escape the pain. Even with the ibuprofen, he was a mess! After incessant crying in the car for a total of an hour, I felt as if I had been beaten and then run over by a truck. My body physically hurt. I wanted to go to sleep and be in a happy place. I wanted to cry. Especially because I knew the four of us still had to go back out later to the grocery store, because we were out of everything. Sigh. This was not the Monday I had hoped for!

In Psalm 34, David declared, "I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34:1) I confess to you this morning that, by the end of yesterday, His praise was not in my mouth. I didn't have anything good to say about anything. I am sure that my Father was not pleased with my attitude.

As I sit here in my quiet place, I'm remembering a conversation I had with a sister in Christ just this past Saturday. She's been through a horrific struggle in her body, including a chronic illness, emergency surgery, and the recovery that follows. She shared with me exactly what has happened to her lately and how hard it's been for her. My heart went out to her as she spoke, and I said, "I'm so sorry this has happened to you!" Her response was shocking. "I'm not sorry at all." She went on to tell me how she's closer to God than ever before, how she's seen His goodness and His faithfulness more since this happened to her than she ever could have imagined. Despite everything, His praise is still in her mouth. No matter what, she will bless the Lord. I used to be that kind of Christian. What has happened to me?

Life happened. It's so easy to get caught up in the craziness and the busy-ness and all the things that need to get done. It's so easy to take my eyes off the Lord when so many other things are happening, like needing groceries and crying babies and daughters and sons and husbands and church. It's so easy to forget that it's not all about me when my experience in the moment is excruciatingly difficult. Thank God for those brothers and sisters who are steadfast in the storm who remind me when I forget that GOD IS STILL GOOD, especially when my day isn't!

Hebrews 12:2 instructs, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Teething is not a joyful experience. Neither is sickness or sorrow or any kind of pain. But if you know that God has a purpose in whatever is happening in your life, you can trust that joy will come on the other side. (Psalm 30:5) I may have blown it yesterday, but today I will intentionally choose to praise Him, no matter what this day brings.

On the worst day, there may be 1000 reasons to complain. But even then, there will be 10,000 reasons to bless the Lord. Thank you, Sheri, for reminding me!

Father, thank You that Your mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23) Oh, how I need them! Forgive me for becoming so consumed with myself! Help me always to fix my eyes - and my heart - on Jesus, the only One who can give me abundant life and joy in the midst of everything else. Give me the grace I need to find myself singing when this day is done. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

In His merciful love,
Amy




copyright 2012, Amy Wallace