I was listening to K-Love today, and heard something that really convicted me. A K-Love listener had written something on the K-Love facebook page, and it went something like this: "What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday. What would you have?" So I got to thinking...what would I have? When closely considering my prayer time yesterday, I saw that I did a lot of asking, complaining, and stating the obvious, but I did not thank God for anything in my morning prayer time. What about later? Surely I thanked Him later for my family, friends, possessions, and the spiritual blessing he has given me. Looking over my day, I realized that I thanked God for only my three meals.
You may think that allowing "What if" statements to make me think hard is silly, but I have discovered in various seasons of my life that I am most happy and content with what I have when I am most thankful. On this topic, Charles Spurgeon said, "You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled." Gratitude and contentedness are closely related.
When I try to purge complaining out of my life, Satan tries to tempt me to think that I have a lot to complain about (which, by the way, I do not!). God handpicked my life for me to bring about his purposes in the world, and to bring him the most glory. Complaining is telling God that he did a bad job picking out the circumstances in my life.
A few years ago, I was struggling with similar discontent/ungrateful thoughts, and my mom showed me a video of an interaction between some sort of aid worker and some young Sudanese children. The aid worker happened upon what appeared to be an abandoned village (probably raided by some warring party). In the corner of the village, there was a little girl who was skin and bones. She may have been injured (I forget), but she greeted the aid worker and the camera man with a bright smile. They gave her some crackers, and instead of eating them, she went rapidly off...then returned carrying two small children- also skin and bones. Taking the crackers, she split the pack in half between what we later were told were her two younger siblings. The girl was only eight, and she already was facing such terrible hardships. That is why I have nothing to complain about.
Will not God, who created the whole universe and you, and who keeps the breath in your body, take care of you, giving you everything you need? Why complain or worry? Give thanks with joy, even if the Lord has allowed some hardship in your life. Maybe you do not see right now how whatever you are going through fits into his plan, but he has a purpose for you. However flippant that may sound to you who may be going through a trying time, realize that true peace, comfort, and security lies in being grateful for, content with, and trusting in God's plan for you life. Find ways to live as a grateful person.
Here's my challenge for you and myself: this month (July 20th until August 20th), every day this entire month, write down ten different things for which you are thankful, and read them at least three times that day. I think the forecast for this month is a change of attitude for me, and for whoever else tries this wholesome activity. And I am looking forward to having that change.
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