Ever since losing my father as a child, I’ve tried to take charge. Regardless of what the problem was I faced, I took charge to handle it. Over time I tried to handle all facets of life on my own.

After years of being in charge, I came to a point when I was exhausted, broken, empty, and physically ill.

In my weakness, I cried out to God. “I can’t do it anymore.”

In my weakness, at the end of myself, I found God to be faithful. He was still there. Healing wasn’t quick. It wasn’t found in one pill or one doctor. It wasn’t achieved after one prayer. But it did come.

God met me where I was. When I started thanking Him for the many things I had to be grateful for, I began to see there was more to be thankful for.

In my pain, I couldn’t give up. There were times I wanted to, but I knew if I did, I would be worse off. I had run out of strength to keep going on my own, but that was when I was most able to receive from God.

Paul and Silas were good examples to me. When they were imprisoned, they prayed and sang praises. They didn’t have to. They could have become angry, bitter, and resentful. Instead they chose to rejoice, and sing praises.

In the Psalms, David continually came back to thanking and praising God. “I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him” (Psalm 34:1).

No matter what you are going through now, it is my prayer that you will praise and thank Him.

“May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. THEN the land will yield its harvest and God, our God, will bless us.” (Psalm 67:5-6 NIV)