10,000 Reasons

I am faithful.  I am a follower and a believer to my core.  Because of that, I am able to feel an  inconceivable comfort from knowing that God will protect me...from heartache, from feeling let down, or feeling like a failure.

There are times in our lives, scratch that.  There have been times in MY life that have been so difficult it felt impossible to see the sun; to see the hope that was always there.  I struggled, tried to keep going, all the while pleading for God to just let "it" pass.  I begged for Him to just take away my burdens and all my grief.  He didn't for a very long time. 

Looking back, I can see with a clear head that he was indeed there beside me.  He was holding my hand along the way.  God allowed me to trudge through the mud, as I will call it.  He wanted me to feel it and experience it.  For so long I was angry and resentful that such a loving God would let that happen.  I didn't understand why. 

Now I do.  18 years later, I understand.

Through all those years, I have come to understand the feelings that come with hopelessness; with feeling that you are all alone and that God has forsaken you. 

I. Understand.

Because of the precious gift of pain, I can walk through the valley's with friends and loved ones.  Sometimes my experiences can be a comfort, but many times they still feel alone, like a ship being tossed in the waves.  Their feelings of "you don't understand" is a hardship and yet, it is a feeling that cannot be explained and rarely wiped away.  Although, there are ones of us that DO understand.  I will never stop being there and lending support.  I believe God allows some of us to experience things to not only deepen our relationship with Him, but to allow us really feel; to allow us to encourage others that this will pass, you just have to hold on.  Although it may feel that we are all alone at times, He doesn't want us to be afraid and be discouraged.  He promises that he won't leave us. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

My prayer is for God to use me.  To place me in situations where I can be of help to others; allow me and my experiences to be an encouragement to others.  I want to point people to God...the only one who is there all the time and can feel our everything.  God is big enough to hear our worries and strong enough to carry our burdens.  Then after the storm passes, and it will pass, I want us to praise God that he has and will make it beautiful in its time.

"The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes"

There truly are 10,000 reasons for our souls to sing.