“Giving Thanks Lightened the Burden in My Heart”

A Lesson in God’s Best

Susan is posing outside with a group of children.

When I reached out to our staff across the globe to share messages of gratitude for Compassion’s Prayer Calendar, I didn’t expect to be as touched by their stories as I was.

The letter below is from Susan, who works in our Compassion Kenya office. She shares the impact of shifting from a heart of frustration to a heart of gratitude — and what that does for her spirit.

Read Susan’s words …

As a child of God, when I open my Bible, I come across verses that command giving thanks to God. Psalm 100:4a (ESV) — “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise” and 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV) — “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

When things are good or bad, it is good to give thanks to God. God does not change but circumstances do. Things may not go as expected, but I discovered in God’s Word to give thanks.

One day I had an important meeting to attend but I overslept and was upset. I asked God to help me not to miss it. On the road, the traffic was heavier than usual. I learnt that a tree had fallen on several vehicles ahead of me. I stopped complaining for oversleeping and thanked God for sparing those in the damaged vehicles and for preventing the tree from falling on me. Giving thanks lightened the burden in my heart.

Many times, I pray for specific things but because God knows best, he says yes, wait or no. On each occasion, his answer has given me something much better than I could ever have imagined.

Let us join hands to pray for the children and youth in our program to know that no matter what, God is in control of their lives. May they trust and always give him thanks even when they do not understand or feel like it.

Susan
Compassion International, Kenya

Susan, wearing a white shirt, is holding a toddler wearing a bright orange shirt.

I hope Susan’s simple, yet profound, story helps you to trust in God and feel gratitude for the ways he loves and cares for you. Let’s virtually join hands and pray using our virtual Gratitude Wall today!

5 Comments |Add a comment

  1. Elaine Dee johnson July 7, 2021

    dear lidia i went to the farm today and they were geetting little potatoes and put them in the cart and they shred the dirt and and cut the plant and took alittle bit of the plant and put the dirt and the soil in the plant and watered the plant in cirvles and watered the plant and came back to the center and had lunch and talked about what we are going to do about camping yesterday cherie took me groceryshopping and brought me back and helped me put away the food and went to paneras and had lunch and went to joannfabrics and returned the pills back and i came back I got rid of alot of stuff I got back and put my watermelon out and had supper and monday I didn,t go to add it was a holiday i stayed home I was playing my keyboard and i was still getting rid of stuff and I watch television love elaine dee johnson

    1. Nicole July 7, 2021

      Hi, Elaine! Thank you for sharing your sweet letter to your sponsor child Lidia! Regrettably, letters written on our blog posts and sent to our email addresses do not reach your child. To write letters to Lidia, you will need to send them online through your My Account or send physical letters to our Compassion International mailing address. Please feel free to send our team an email at [email protected] if you have any questions or would like any help.

  2. ogema fedrick July 7, 2021

    great advice

  3. Magdalene Nderumaki July 7, 2021

    This is very powerful sharing. Thanks Susan.

  4. Rurzhoze Seburo Titus July 6, 2021

    In God be the Glory for ever and ever.

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