The Year and Psalm 116

I am feeling incredibly thankful and blessed these days. In light of the New Year and reflecting over the past year, I realized that this is the first year that I can remember where I spent New Year's Eve celebrating the previous year. Usually I spend New Year's Eve thinking about things I wish I could have done differently, thinking about past decisions, trying not to regret what I haven't gotten done, and just feeling anxious in general. 

This year though...this time I just feel so excited about the ways that Steve and I changed and grew last year. I feel so thankful for the things that we learned, the hard things we dealt with. I did a lot, I grew a lot, and it was a good year. It wasn't just an easy year. We had some definite hard moments, defining moments, and it still was a lot of work. However, the Lord has been good to me.  

The thing that I have realized is that in all my floundering, all my good and bad decisions, all the things I should have done differently, all the ways I could have been better, the Lord has been good to me. Despite myself the Lord has been good to me. 

I called on the Lord, and He heard my voice and answered my call. And though that doesn't make life perfect or everything bad go away, it sure makes the journey a lot more manageable. Exciting even. I can see the ways that God has worked in our lives this year and I can confidently say that good things really do come from God.

The Lord has been good to me.

Psalm 116

¹ I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
    he heard my cry for mercy.
² Because he turned his ear to me,
    I will call on him as long as I live.

³ The cords of death entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
⁴ Then I called on the name of the Lord:
    “Lord, save me!”

⁵ The Lord is gracious and righteous;
    our God is full of compassion.
⁶ The Lord protects the unwary;
    when I was brought low, he saved me.

⁷ Return to your rest, my soul,
    for the Lord has been good to you.