A Little Thankful Thursday Goodness

I am learning lately how much I cannot do on my own.

Sure, I'm an adult and I get to pay bills, fix my car, plan my life, juggle various responsibilities, etc.... but let's be real -- when it comes down to it, I've got nothing. My thoughts sprout and bloom and grow in a million different directions and my emotions change about every 2.7 seconds. My heavens, it gets ridiculous. When it comes down to the nitty gritty - the basis of who I am - I am so in need of a gracious Savior to cover my mistakes.

I cannot love others without God pouring His love into me.

I cannot experience true, everlasting peace without Jesus' own peace filling me.

I cannot speak truth without already building upon a knowledge and foundation of truth.

I cannot be truly thankful, without the Holy Spirit changing my perspective.

[and BOY do I need a softened heart and changed perspective every once in a while. or rather, very often. grateful for a God who is full of GRACE to do so.]

Though thankfulness is not listed in Galatians 5 as a fruit of the spirit, writing about my inability to muster of genuine love, peace, truth and gratitude reminds me of these verses. 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit." -- Galatians 5:22-24

These attributes are fruit [products, results] of walking in the Spirit... not of mere human-ness or choice. I cannot do any of them in and of myself; we NEED the Spirit to fill us so that we can be transformed more and more into the likeness of the Son.

So today, despite the end-of-the-semester craziness, trouble sleeping, irrational emotions,  etc, etc... I will rely on the Holy Spirit to soften my heart & change my perspective... and point me toward THANKFULNESS:

I'm thankful for -
... sweet friendships
... making decisions and seeing growth
... time off work (compensated by 10x the amount of school)
... the chance of SNOW 3 times in the 10 day forecast
... Christmas in 19 days
... my identity in Christ
... revelation/insight/ideas
... coffee, coffee, coffee
... scarves. every.single.day.
... reading a novel for FUN