You know that song “10,000 Reasons”? I love it, but one part gets me every time:
“Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
let me be singing when the evening comes.”
That line gets me because most evenings I’m not singing. Really, most evenings I’m done trying to hold myself together. And plenty of evenings I’ve already crumbled.
When the evening comes, I’ve refereed sibling arguments while cooking dinner. I’ve been disappointed by people I love dearly. I’ve answered the same questions multiple times. I’ve been frustrated with those hard-to-love people in my life. I’ve been challenged and encouraged and failed in a matter of minutes.
But whatever may pass, whatever lies before me, God wants me to be singing. {Tweet that.}
I’m not patient, naturally. But I know that’s what God is working on in my life. He wants me to see people as he sees them. He wants me to remember my kids are watching me. He wants me to know him more so I can be more like him.
“You’re rich in love, and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind.
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find …”
My husband and I had a hard conversation this weekend. It was one of those that started with one frustration I was having and overflowed into other related struggles. The conversation ended with him encouraging me to have a different perspective.
Y’all, adjusting my perspective is hard. And, really, I was at a loss of how to even begin. And then just two nights later during our small group, a wise friend said, “When we change what we think, we can change how we act.”
God answered the question I’d been holding onto. He reminded me he’s working here – beginning in my soul and overflowing into my home and my relationships.
The following night – three nights from when Greg and I stayed up too late discussing some hard parts of life – my daughter wandered out of bed a couple hours after we had tucked her in. “Is Jesus coming back tomorrow?” she asked us sincerely.
The three of us talked about how the Bible tells us we don’t know when Jesus is coming back but he is one day. We talked about how God tells us not to worry about tomorrow because he’s already there.
“He knows my whole life, doesn’t he?” Cate asked.
“Yes, and we’re so glad he knew you would be our daughter,” Greg told her.
We talked some about salvation and baptism and what being a Christian looks like. We talked about how we can’t do anything other than believe to become a Christian, but that when we do decide to follow Jesus there is a responsibility to love and serve others.
When Cate walked back upstairs, I could tell she was more at peace than when she came down 10 minutes earlier. Greg and I were reminded that despite our imperfections, God is working here in our family.
That hard conversation with my husband. The unsolicited advice from my friend. The unexpected conversation with my daughter. Those are reasons to keep on singing.
I add them to my #choosingJOY list on my phone and glance at others :: 148. Listening to music with Greg while driving home with the kids sleeping. 149. Kids’ excitement over passports. 150. Sky High Sports. 151. Songs and sermons that convict and encourage at the same time. 152. Doughnuts. 153. All four of us falling back asleep in our bed on Sunday morning. 154. Seeing God bring people and visions together.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name”
I'm also linking up with Lyli Dunbar's Thought-Provoking Thursday.
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