Giving Thanks

I realized tonight that I need to be thankful for everything in my life.  That includes the times when I feel lost, hurt, alone and depressed.  When I feel unfairly judged or that I will never fit in.  When I justifly my actions even when I know they are wrong.  For the longest time I've thought that as long as I'm a good person deep down in my soul, then that should be enough.  And I've allowed myself to be consumed by anxiety and depression while my life is passing me by.  It has been an extremely emotional day and I really can't recall any time recently when I've felt this hopeless.  I've always considered myself a Christian but honestly I've never really read the Bible.  It just never made sense to me.  But for some reason tonight, at my lowest point, I walked over to the bookshelf and picked it up for the first time in years.  I just randomly opened it and it opened to the book of Job.  I had heard a few things about Job... basically that he suffered a tremendous amount.  And as I read I realized that for the first time, I understood the message and could relate to it in my own life.  And then I went on to read Matthew and was delighted to find a passage about anxiety.  "He long for you to end the anxiety cycle and let him lead (Matt. 11:28).  I don't have to suffer like this any longer.  I can leave it all behind.  All of my struggles have made me who I am.  I am a better person now that I have gone through the valleys.  And I know there will be many more struggles ahead.  But the Bible promises that if we remain faithful through the trials and suffering, then we will go to Heaven.  So I guess the whole point of this blog is that I am thankful for all of my experiences in life, good and bad.  And I'm thankful for the people who have loved me and those who have hurt me.  And any judgement that has been passed on me doesn't matter anymore.  I have a loving husband, three wonderful children, and a God who is in control.  And for all of this, I am thankful.