Last night we attended one of my favorite church services of the whole year: the annual Thanksgiving testimony service. Not that we’re not thankful or don’t have testimonies at other times throughout the year, but this is a particular highlight and often the testimonies involve looking back at God’s goodness over the last year. We have it on Tuesday rather than the usual Wednesday night midweek service since so many people are traveling on Wednesday. I don’t usually say much there — I’m thankful, I just don’t like speaking in public. 🙂 And there is no “dead air time” or lack of people to speak up, so I am content to listen, to be brought to laughter and tears and praise to God for what He has done in the lives of our folks.

I was convicted last night, though. There was one area that kept coming up as a matter of praise that I had been somewhat critical of. Someone pointed out years ago in a message I heard that part of a melancholy temperament is an eye for details and a strong desire for things to be done “right,” and a strong desire to fix what isn’t right. That inclination can often develop into a critical spirit, and in areas where it is not my jurisdiction or business to “fix” anything, that desire can lead to chafing and even resentment. With those kinds of situations I’ve often just had to pray that if it is something that really needs fixing, the Lord will bring it to the attention of those involved and help me not to be critical and to just leave it with Him. As I heard praise and thanks given for this particular area last night, though, I was reminded that just because something needs fixing doesn’t mean God can’t use it and that there aren’t many good things about it as well. We’re all flawed, and thank God He patiently and lovingly deals with each of us. He’s not finished with any of us yet. So I was convicted and reminded to be thankful for all things and people He has brought into my life and not to just focus on the one area that isn’t “right.”

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6