Day 40

Someone recently asked me who my favorite Bible character was, and quite honestly, I had to think for a minute.  I don't know that anyone had ever asked me that question before.  And then, the answer was clear to me... my favorite Bible character is David.  This isn't a huge surprise because I love the the book of Psalms and he is one of the major authors.  I like David for many reasons... that he was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22), and he made mistakes and God still used him (Psalm 51).  But the thing that I'm loving the most about David recently is his honesty with God.  I mean, David is completely transparent with God... no holding back.  When God did great things for David, thanksgiving was his theme (Psalm 105).  When David faced trials, he let God have it... he complained, gave God a piece of his mind, even told God how he wanted the situation handled (check out Psalm 31:17-18:  http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=31&v=17&t=NIV#17). 

But the thing that impresses me the most about David is that no matter what his emotions were regarding his circumstances... whether feelings of anger, frustration, defeat, abandonment, being ignored... he consistently came back to praising God.  It's amazing!  Take Psalm 22.  The theme of this Psalm according to my Life Application Study Bible is "A prayer that carries us from great suffering to great joy.  Despite apparent rejection by his friends and God, David believed God would lead him out of despair. (1)"  Wow!  In my book, David is in the Hall of Fame when it comes to gracious gratitude, which is praising God for Who He is when we are faced with trials.  See Day 34 for more information and here's a link to the article that explains gracious gratitude:  http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/17365

Psalm 22:1-2 says:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?  O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. 

David's in a bad place.  And He's asking God where He is.  Have you ever felt that way?  Have you ever cried out to God like this... by being completely honest and transparent?  I'm learning to do this recently.  Let's just say that God's been refining me throughout this Thankfulness Experiment.  Being refined is tough... He's showing me things I need to change and He's growing me too.  There are days that I feel alone and abandoned; there are days when I don't know what He wants me to learn and I'm confused...  And I'm learning to literally to cry out to Him... and you may think this next part is crazy and I'm OK with that, but I even yell at God.  And you know what?  God can handle my questions, my anger, my yelling and my confusion because guess what?  Even if I don't verbalize it to Him, He's all-knowing, so He already knows I'm thinking it.  I can't tell you the relief I feel by getting it out of my system.  And God often meets me soon after my rant... with His still small voice helping me understand, or maybe gently revealing the sin I need to confess, or maybe He brings a scripture to mind that gives some hope.  Trust me, this is not how I've always been, but I'm learning that it's so helpful for me to be real with God.  But let me warn you, my rants typically happen when I'm home alone...

Psalm 22 is much more than David ranting about being forsaken.  In fact, about half the Psalm focuses on praising and trusting God... David remembering Who God is in spite of his circumstances.  That's my desire... to pour out my heart to God, and then thank God for Who He is in the midst of my circumstances, because God doesn't change.  He is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love (Psalm 103:8). 

Look how David is praising God in spite of his circumstances in Psalm 22:22-24:

I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise You.  You who fear the Lord, praise Him!  All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him!  Revere Him, all you descendants of Israel!  For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from Him but has listened to His cry for help. 

I think David is the perfect example of 1 Thessalonians 5:18:  Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus, don't you?  Oh, to be more like David when it comes to praising God in the trials.  I'm definitely not there yet, but I'm so thankful that God gives me examples of how to get there, one Psalm at a time. 

Tonight, I am thankful for...

1.  The first snow and my three year old's excitement about it
2.  God's grace
3.  Free pizza
4.  Playing the thankful game in the car tonight and my three year old making me chuckle by being thankful for the giant fork next to Forscht Bank
5.  Getting a lecture written today
6.  The smell of Chai tea brewing
7.  Reading books with my son
8.  Much needed phone conversation this evening
9.  Prayers that can set you free
10.  The power of saying James 4:7 out loud
11.  God listening all the time
12.  All the Thankful Lists that came through today
13.  God providing help for tomorrow morning at just the right time
14.  God being a God who does immeasurably more over and over and over again
15.  For looking at Christmas lights tonight with the boys while listening to Christmas music

Here's to 10,000 reasons... Only 5,678 to go...

1. The Life Application Study Bible, New International Version. (1991). Psalm 22 Theme (p. 922).  Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.