For the past week, I have been waking up in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, for a few of these nights I could not go back to sleep for anything for several hours. I would make lists in my head about what I needed to do, think about work, think about the upcoming months, and eventually went to the living room to watch a show to try to help myself fall asleep. 

I was getting somewhat miserable through the nights, which were making my days pretty tiresome. After about the fourth night of this, when my husband woke up and noticed I was still unable to go back to sleep at 2 A.M., he groggily suggested I pray for all the things I was thankful for. He was half asleep, but I felt embarrassed I had not thought of this myself. So, I began thanking God for his goodness and faithfulness, and all the blessings he has given me. And guess what? Probably not ten minutes later I was fast asleep, when the previous night I had tossed and turned for two hours unable to get back to sleep. 

When my husband and I were getting ready the next morning, I eagerly told him the news. He chuckled and said he hardly remembered what he told me. In his sleep dazed state, he gave me good advice that even I myself had not realized I should do the three nights previously. 

What is “keeping you up” or “tossing and turning?” What has made you lose sight of your Source? Whatever you are facing, whatever you are dealing with, I encourage you to turn to God. Look to Him and give Him thanks for all the blessings in your life. 

As we enter this holiday season, with THANKSgiving being the first, count your blessings and see how God has taken care of you. We always have more to be thankful for than we realize. With thanksgiving comes peace and joy of the Lord.  

Reflection:

• Psalm 100 - “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

• Psalm 136:26 - “Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 - “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

•  Colossians 3:17 - “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

• Philippians 4:6-7 - “Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Prayer:

I come to you, Lord, with thankfulness. Thank you for all the blessings you have given to me. Thank you for ___________. Thank you for this season and the lessons I will learn and grow from during this time. I pray in everything I do, I can accomplish it in your name with a thankful heart. Help me remember you are my source and turn to you whenever I am weak and anxious, and I will find joy and peace in you. You are so good to me. Amen. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Whitney can be described by the opening lyrics of a few Tom Petty songs. She's a good girl who grew up in a small Indiana town who loves her mama, Jesus, and America, too. She practices medicine as a physician assistant at an urgent care, and is a certified health coach. Whitney is a music enthusiast and leads worship at her church. She has a heart for people, and wants to help young girls and women find their worth in Christ rather than what the world says of them. Whitney loves a good dad joke, Southern manners, holistic wellness, attempting macrame crafts, and hiking and traveling with her husband, Alex, and their dog, Milly.