O Death, where is thy victory?

In this life of trials and temptations, I think we must accept that we will have good days and bad days... we will have good weeks and bad weeks.... we will have good years and bad years.  Some may even feel as if their whole life is "bad".  I use the word "accept" a lot lately.  It is comforting to me when I'm feeling depressed, tired, overwhelmed, sad, panicky, guilty, lazy, ect... I don't mean for it to become an excuse, but it helps me to accept that I will have these feelings from time to time and that doesn't make me a bad person or a failure.  For me, it is important that I accept what happened last year, which was so far the worst year of my life.  As I accept it, I can move forward.  It helps me let it go. When a thought comes to my mind... a memory, or a regret, or a fear... I find it helps me to think, "Yes, that happened and I accept it" or "Yes, I am feeling this feeling and I accept it".  It might seem silly to some, but when you have overwhelming feelings and memories from a traumatic event, you cannot allow your mind to dwell on them.  Those feelings and memories can drag you down and hold you down, when in fact, they should not control your life or your mind!  I have been trying more to be full of gratefulness.  I need more work, of course! Gratitude is the opposite of so many negative feelings.  But sometimes it's not easy to feel grateful.  Here is a list of some things I am grateful for:

My husband
My children
My home

So I will admit, it was difficult for me to type those things.  Why is gratitude difficult for me sometimes?  I think it is because, I realize that I could lose those things that I love the most.  I did lose my home last year and I almost lost my daughter.  I think maybe this also boils down to acceptance.  I need to accept that eventually, I will lose everything on this earth.  BUT, my greatest treasures I will never lose.  My faith in God and His Word gives me hope that even after death, I will see my loved ones again.  So maybe my gratitude is a bit misplaced.  Maybe I need to start being grateful instead for EVERLASTING LIFE.  Now that is something I can be truly grateful for.

Col 3:1-4
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
² Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
³ For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
⁴ When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Isaiah 25:8-9

⁸ He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
⁹ And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.


John 6:47
⁴⁷ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

I Cor 15:52-57
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
⁵⁵ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.