Written by Jocelynn Goff, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
Have you ever felt like you were living under a dark cloud? Or maybe it was so dark you actually felt as if you were not just under it but even in the middle of it.
A few years ago, I was emotionally walking with a friend through an extremely difficult and tragic part of her life. Since she wanted to be confidential, I was the only one she was sharing with. She had me, but I had no one else to share this with. I felt a tremendous weight with this responsibility—a responsibility I fully accepted to help my friend but a heavy weight none the less. In other words, I felt both under and in a dark cloud. This weight felt hard to overcome in my day-to-day responsibilities. I found myself sinking into a state of depression. I knew I had a ready listening Heavenly Father, so I was definitely praying. However, no lifting of the dark cloud. In addition, I was fasting and praying. And yet, no lifting of the dark cloud. I began singing especially on my walks around the neighborhood. Still no dark cloud lifting. I cried out, “God what am I missing?” I felt a still small voice say, “thanksgiving.”
OH, yes, Father this is a missing element in my prayer and petition to you. As you remind me.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6)
So, I pulled out my Thankful Journal and began reminding myself of the too-numerous-to-count times of thanksgiving blessings God had given me. As I read each blessing out loud, I felt the dark cloud slowly begin to lift. Hope began permeating my mind, spirit, body, and soul. Thank You, God! And now I had another entry for my Thankful Journal! God had already supplied me with the answer, “Present my requests to Him with thanksgiving.”
My Thankful Journal was the result of another friend’s recommendation of Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts. The author invites the reader to live the concept of “Eucharisteo always precedes the miracle,” and encourages a Thankful Journal.
I was challenged to start my own Thankful Journal and began with the goal of 1,000 gift entries. I am now at 6,851 Thankful Journal entries. It’s nearly impossible to keep up with writing down all of God’s blessings. Still, it is pure delight to be reminded and record God’s gifts in my life. When I am feeling the weight of life on many different levels, I am prompted much earlier in my dark cloud moments to choose thankfulness. I am also reminded in His Word:
“give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thes. 5:18)
“let us be thankful and so worship God” (Heb. 12:28b)
I encourage you to choose thankfulness as a significant part of your everyday walk and especially for those dark cloud moments. I also encourage you to read One Thousand Gifts and begin your own Thankful Journal.