Giving Thanks

Psalm 100

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever
A Psalm for giving thanks.

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
Serve the LORD with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

There are times in life when we cannot feel the words of this Psalm, if fact, we feel like Job, abandoned by God, by friends, by companions.   Obedience comes in the form of profession, belief and thankgiving for who Christ is. 
It is in these valleys, that I discover the bedrock of the faith, and it is here that God shows Himself faithful and steadfast in a way like no other.  It is in these times that I have realized most fully that it is Christ alone, that I need.  It forces me to answer the question, if all else were lost, are You enough?  Another way of saying that might be, show me my idols Lord, my family, my comfort, my labor - do I really do them unto you?
I am not writing this in a season of loss, it is actually a time of blessing, yet I am watching friends go through really hard times and it reminds me that God is sovereign in adversity and blessing.
Praise given to God while in adversity is of a stronger sort than praise given in times of blessing - it's trustfilled beauty is breathtaking and tear bringing.