Nowhere Else I'd Rather Be

[This is another one I rescued from the drafts folder; it was written sometime back in the Spring.]


In recent months, God has been showing me that I need to be thankful for my circumstances, however good or bad they may be. Having a thankful heart doesn't simply mean looking for things to be thankful for while walking through a difficult time; it means actually being thankful for that difficult season.

I've been listening to a lot of songs by Meredith Andrews lately. "Draw Me Nearer" has been particularly close to my heart during this season of my life. As I listened to this section of the lyrics, I realized yet again my need to be thankful for the storm, not just thankful for the hope of a life vest eventually being thrown my way. Thankful for the trial, not just for the rescue. 

So draw me nearer, Lord
Never let me go
Closer to your heart
Draw me nearer, Lord
Draw me nearer, Lord

And keep me here, keep me here
There's nowhere else I'd rather be
So keep me here, keep me here
There's nowhere else I rather be
There's nowhere else I rather be

I want to be in God's presence at all times; I want to always be where He is. Recently, these words took on a new depth for me. It hit me that He sometimes calls us right out into the middle of a storm. But if He's standing in the midst of the raging sea, that's exactly where I want to be.  I want to long for His nearness even when He's leading straight into the crashing waves.

So that's what I'm learning in this season of life: To truly be thankful in all circumstances. To praise God for the storm, not just in spite of it. It may not be easy, but I know that I'm learning, growing and drawing nearer to my God. And it's worth it.