So Many Reasons…

It’s been one year since the Lord challenged me during worship. The familiar song was playing, “Ten Thousand Reasons” by Matt Redman, and I found myself singing the words, but not really thinking about them, rather distracted by the details of life that had followed me into the sanctuary that morning.

But then that one line…

“For all Your goodness I will keep on singing, Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.”

And at that moment, the Holy Spirit pricked my heart, and inquired of me.

“Will you do that? Can you list 10,000 reasons?”

On that day, September 23, 2018, I resolved to begin listing a minimum of three things a day for which I am thankful.

Some days are full of such obvious things, and my pen fills line after line in my journal. Other days, I struggle in choosing to be thankful. On those hard days, it is ultimately my choice to “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forgot not all his benefits.” (Psalm 103:2)

Over the last several months, I have consistently heard God whispering,

“Lift up your eyes… Open you eyes…”

What are you looking at? What am I looking at? I believe there is so much beauty, so many opportunities to be loved by God, and so many people He is wanting us to notice and love, but we’re missing them.  We’re too distracted, too hurried, too overwhelmed by the cares of this world and all the lies we are bombarded with on a daily basis.

It’s so hard to hear from God when we are too busy listening to the clamor of the world. It’s too hard to lift up our eyes and see His hand at work in our lives and all around us when we are too busy looking at our phones. It’s too hard to receive His immeasurable love when our hearts have been hardened by the trials of this life and the uncertainty of what’s around the corner.

Do you want to know what’s around the corner?  HE IS! God is there. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8) What a precious promise!

I took this picture on the way home from dropping my kids off at school this morning. I have some uncertain things I am facing. We. All. Do. And I have been a prisoner of fear in the past, but this morning as I was driving and praying, God reassured me that even when we cannot see what’s around the bend, He’s already there and we can trust Him.

So “lift up your eyes” and fix them on Jesus, the Author of your story and mine. (Hebrews 12:2) Let Him “open your eyes” to things you have been missing and fill your heart with so many reasons to keep on singing… maybe even 10,000!