Daily Devotional – 11/29/12 “Yep, still thankful!”

I know you’re asking, “What could she possibly still have to be thankful for?” Well, I’ll tell you. I’m still thankful because my husband could have found my body cold, the blood not running through my veins and my eyes closed to open no more; when he woke up this morning but he didn’t. I could be laying in ICU with a tube down my throat but I’m not. I could be headed to get a chemo or dialysis treatment but I’m not. I could be on the list waiting for a transplant but I’m not. I could be driving to the funeral home to make the final arrangements for a loved one but I’m not. I could have received a call to come and identify the body of my son or daughter but I haven’t. I could have a sick child at St. Jude but I don’t. I could be visiting my husband behind the confines of a prison wall but I’m not. I could be holding the hands of one of my sisters battling breast cancer but I’m not. I could even be standing at the graveside of one of my brothers killed by gang violence but I’m not. I could be standing in the unemployment line but I’m not. I could even be living outside and searching the dumpsters for food but I’m not. I could have been one of the ones driving home last night from work and killed by a drunk driver but I’m not. Why am I still thankful? Oh, because when I could have been dead, God allowed me to live. When I should have been hungry, God made a way for me to eat. When I should have been broke, tore up from the floor up, raggedy and without hope; God provided. When I should have been sick, God healed me. When I should have thrown in the towel, God allowed me to use it to wipe the sweat from my head. When I should have fallen over that cliff of burdens, God gave me a rope of hope to hold on too. When I should have been buried in that ditch that so-called friends dug for me, God allowed me to pack the dirt under my feet and rise. When I should have been nothing, God made me into something. When I should have been a dirty, filthy rag; God cleaned me up and made me look brand new. When I should have been drowning in my tears, God made it into a stream of His salvation for me to swim in. When I should have been filled with anger, bitterness, resentment and hurt; God saw fit to fill me with His love. And just when I thought I was knocked out in the first round of my trials by enemies, jealous friends and hurtful family members; God tagged himself in and took over where I feel short and WE came out victorious which is why, yep I’m still thankful!