Thank you God

Thank you, God, for being with me through it all. I was at a breaking point as recent as last evening, wanting to call it a day with my job and move on. But You came, ministered to me with your peace, filling my heart with indescribable joy, despite the circumstances.

I cannot understand, but I can yield myself fully to you and let You lead the way. Let me remember what my pastor said last Sun, that discouragement often comes after some victorious encounter, and to watch out for a fall when it's least expected, as You said in 1 Peter 5:8-9

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

I think I fell more because I sinned against You and a brother in Christ. I was eager to get back at him for making life so miserable for my whole team. While I may have succeeded in some way in making him pause and think twice before targeting us again, I think it only made him all the more determined to oppose us in any way possible.

When I finally realised that I was in the wrong, even just to think of avenging myself and my team, You came and set me free from all the negative thoughts that crossed my mind. For this, I earnestly thank You, Lord. You set me free from the thorns of evil thoughts that blossomed right out of a vengeful heart. The sin in my anger was becoming like yeast, or more appropriately, poison, spreading faster than I had realised. I felt choked in every way, until you mercifully reached down to bring me out of this self-created mess.

Father, I thank you for your mercy and your love. Thanks for taking away my sins and for putting me on track once again.

I pray for my brother in Christ. I pray that he will yield himself to You as well, experience the freedom that comes from knowing Your truth, and that together, we can serve the Body of Christ as parts of the same body should. Help me to be patient, bearing with one another out of love. Help me keep quiet, like You did, before Your accusers. Let me turn the other cheek, when the opportunity arises. Let me not get defensive. Help me use every opportunity to share your word and your love with my team members, through my response to the situations around me.

In the exalted name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen.

Thomas