I know that today may be a terrible Thursday for some filled with trouble, temptations and tribulations but why don’t you turn it into a triumphant, testifying Thursday filled with thanksgiving? I mean you woke up, you’re walking instead of wandering lost, you got warm blood flowing through your body when it could have been withdrawn by the funeral home one last time, you’re well enough to read this when you could be weary and weak and God still deemed you worthy even though you barely worship Him. Isn’t that enough for you to stop with the “woe is me” attitude? Baby, let me tell you; you aren’t the only one going through right now, all you have to do is look around. While you’re complaining about the $20 you have, someone doesn’t even have enough change for a bag of chips because they had to give it to the kids for lunch. While you’re complaining about the car you’re driving, somebody lost their job yesterday because they didn’t have anybody they could depend on to take them to work even with them giving gas money. While you’re complaining about your spouse, somebody is sitting in the doctor’s office with theirs while the doctor is breaking the news that there is nothing more they can do. Yea, I know it is Thursday and even though tomorrow maybe payday, you’re still trying to figure out how to rob Peter and Paul just to pay Saul enough to keep the lights on but I’m here to let you know that trouble doesn’t last always. You’re probably saying, it’s easy for me to say when I look like I have it all together but honey, just because I don’t look like my problem it doesn’t mean I don’t have one; I’ve learned how to praise through my storm. See, I’ve realized that it does me no good to hold on to my circumstances because worrying won’t solve them so I read and obeyed 1 Peter 5:7 that says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” For Psalm 70:5 says, “Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.” Then Psalm 71:1-8 picks up and says, “O LORD, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men. For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection. That is why I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long.”
See, God hasn’t left you just because you’re going through but He is simply allowing you to go through in order to make you stronger. So appreciate the struggles, the sacrifices, the sickness and the sorrow so that your shout is real, your soul rejoices, your strength renewed and your serving redeemed. And on today, I am asking God to renew your mind, revive your hope and refresh your spirit my brother; my sister. For you whose hope is slipping away, who joy is fading and who heart is hurting; I am pleading to God on your behalf today and it will be done. Open yourself to God and allow Him to do it for you now. Revive your faith right now and don’t go back to your old way of thinking because God hasn’t left you and you are not alone! Yea, you are drinking tears for water but they won’t last. You heart is filled with so much pain that you can barely sleep but it won’t last. Your pacing has replaced your rest and worry has taken over your thoughts but it won’t last. Your trouble won’t last but you’ve got to believe it! Turn this Thursday around and make it better than your yesterday because you have that power!
Lakisha, the Author 