As I turn the page to a New Year, it feels fitting for a time of reflection both filled with confession and gratitude. Philip Yancey in his book, Prayer, says this about confession...
Consider again the act of repentance. Confessing my sins before God communicates something God already knows. Yet somehow the act of confession binds the relationship and allows a closeness that could not otherwise exist. I make myself vulnerable and dependent, bringing God and me together. The same kind of intimacy happens when (all too rarely) I apologize to my wife for something we both know about. I do not bring her information, I bring her my heart, my humbled self. Yancey in Prayer, p. 144
Now for gratitude --
I believe gratitude comes from a heart that is open to God. A heart that is open to see with new eyes and trust in ways that do not always make sense. I believe gratitude is learned over time and can be expressed at even greater depths as we allow God to meet us in our disappointments and pain. (see my previous post on Gratitude from June, 2008)
Thank you, God for all that this past year brought-- all of it...
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