Grumpy or Grateful?
Scripture:
14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:14-18
Devotional:
Last week I noticed that I had been growing more and more irritable. Little things that normally don’t bother me were making me very grumpy. Someone cut me off at an intersection and then started yelling at me like it was my fault. Someone didn’t show up for a meeting that I drove to church for. One of my children got a little too snarky with me. Normal family interactions were causing me unwarranted frustration. Loved ones posted things on social media that felt like a personal attack. Every little thing felt like the straw that broke the camel’s back.
But then one night Dan and I decided to watch a movie that someone loaned to us (yes, we still have a DVD player!). It was the sequel to “I Can Only Imagine.” Not to give away too much if you haven’t seen it, but one of the characters was dying of cancer, and every day he used a Sharpie to draw an X on his wrist to remind himself to tell God that he was grateful for another day. He said that he held his grief in one hand and his gratitude in the other. I felt conviction throughout the whole movie that caused me to re-evaluate my attitude and make some changes. God showed me that it is very difficult to be grateful and grumpy at the same time.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18, the apostle Paul directs the church at Thessalonica to be patient with everyone and to “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I needed the reminder last week (and often), that God’s will for us is to bless others, to be joyful, grateful, and always praying.
When I choose to focus on the negative, it leads to grumpiness. But it is extremely difficult, probably impossible, to be grateful and grumpy at the same time! So I made the decision to focus on everything I have to be grateful for. And there is so much on that list! Even if someone cuts me off in traffic and then yells at me, I can be grateful we didn’t get into an accident and that I have a car to get around. Although it seems easier to just see the negative, scripture commands us to give thanks in all circumstances (notice it doesn’t say “for” all circumstances - I don’t need to be grateful that I got cut off in traffic, but I can still be grateful “in” that circumstance). And we are blessed when we choose gratitude!
Making the decision to be grateful changed my attitude almost instantly. And life is so much better when I am feeling gratitude instead of grumpiness (both for me and for everyone around me)! Thank God for His faithfulness to redirect us when we get a little off track!
Prayer:
If there is something that is weighing you down or making you grumpy, release it to God in prayer. Then, challenge yourself to list as many things as possible that you have to be thankful for. Take that list to God and share your gratitude with Him.