Giving Praise and Thanks When You Have Nothing Left

For our little family it is the inevitable season of attack, the month before moving our family of five across Country to Seminary. There are the weekends packed of visiting family, not living in our own home, my husband working in a separate state during the week, and of course, the finances. Tonight we sat silent on the couch as our list of bills and things to do piled up on our weary spirits. The list was building when we thought we had it all planned. We knew that the right thing to do was to pray, but all we could silently mumble was “help us God.” Maybe anything else would have been made up fancy prayer words. All we had left was to just say “help.”

When it doesn’t feel joyful

In the middle of this small season of stress, we take the steps that we can do while trying to believe through heavy weights on our shoulders that what we are doing will be joyful; however, right now, it doesn’t feel joyful. So what do we do when we have nothing left, when smiling would be faking it? I guess the only thing to do is to Praise God and to give Him thanks. Can I be content in any circumstance, during a time that we just want to feel normal? – Normal jobs, a house, a stable budget, etc. When in our reality, we are uplifting again to somewhat of the unknown and we are weary. But we just have to praise God and thank him that he takes care of the birds of the field.

As we still take on the responsibilities we have in this move, Praising God through the stress and the storm is going to be the only way for us to even find a hint of joy. That when we praise God and thank Him for this not normal life He entrusted us with, than maybe this is when we begin to see the blessings, and remember the Way He has already made for us. Then just maybe, this is when we find the courage to keep moving forward. It is so easy to assume the worst, but when we praise God and thank Him, we find that in reality He is always working things out for our good.

Finding joy in the storm

If you are in a season of Seminary where everything feels impossible, firstly, know that you are not alone; however, don’t forget to give Praise and thanks. Maybe the only words you can get out are “help God,” and that is okay. It is so easy to forget to acknowledge Him, but it is the first step to opening the floodgates of remembering His goodness. And it is in His goodness we find the courage to experience Joy in the storm.

“I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
And raised me up again
But my strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find You?……
I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm”
– Casting Crowns (Praise You in The Storm)