How has God been good to you?

Every Thanksgiving, my family has a little Thanksgiving "service." It's a time to reflect on the meaning of Thanksgiving, and occasionally we do the traditional "go around the table and say what you're thankful for." This year, my beautiful sisters lead the service;  Jessa lead us in worship, and Dannis lead us in our reflection. The reflection was simple. She read us Psalm 116 and asked us to reflect specifically on how God has been good to you in the year 2014.

Psalm 116:7 says "Return to your rest, oh soul, for the Lord has been good to you."

Well. This kind of rocked my world, to be honest. This year has been really tough. In fact, a year ago was probably one of the toughest times in my life. I was going through a lot, making a lot of hard choices, working a job that I really didn't like, feeling like I didn't really have much meaning. But God was good to me.

He gave me a different job, which would open so many doors. 

He provided a way for me to be at camp all summer.

He directed me away from grad school, and offered so many other things.

But in those moments, it wasn't always that easy. I was left feeling bounced around; like a nomad. Every time I thought something was going to be permanent, it changed. And to be honest, it still is changing. I haven't had two similar weeks since August, I think, when I was unemployed. Just when I'd get settled, BOOM, something would come along that totally knocked my socks off. I started feeling like this meant that maybe God was feeling a little disorganized or something, or that maybe He just kinda forgot a little about me.

But when Dannis read Psalm 116, it clicked, and brought tears to my eyes. All along, all these steps, He's preparing His dream in my heart. All these different phases this year have lead me to something bigger, and I've appreciated each one. 

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
    he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
    I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
    “Lord, save me!”

5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
    our God is full of compassion.
6 The Lord protects the unwary;
    when I was brought low, he saved me.

7 Return to your rest, my soul,
    for the Lord has been good to you.

8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the Lord
    in the land of the living.

10 I trusted in the Lord when I said,
    “I am greatly afflicted”;
11 in my alarm I said,
    “Everyone is a liar.”

12 What shall I return to the Lord
    for all his goodness to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants.
16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;
    I serve you just as my mother did;
    you have freed me from my chains.

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
    and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord—
    in your midst, Jerusalem.

God has never left you. He enjoys providing for you. Things that may not seem like a blessing, are the biggest blessings that you didn't even know how to ask for because you didn't think you needed them. Let your soul relax, for He has been good to you.