Our pastor has recently been preaching through the book of Exodus. I thought I was going to hate it, and I was right. I do hate it, but not for the reason I anticipated. My expectation was one of boredom. I mean, I’ve read the story of the Israelites a million times, and I’ve watched the movie, “The Ten Commandments” at least once a year my entire life.
Boredom has not been the problem. I hate it because it’s revealing something ugly in me. You see, whenever I read Exodus, I want to scream at the Israelites, “What is the matter with you people??? Don’t you realize all the amazing things God has done for you?” What a bunch of whiny, complaining babies! But through this study, God has been shining a light on my own horrific behavior, which is eerily similar to the same people I’ve been yelling at all these years.
OUCH.
My complaints for today alone have hit double digits (at least). I’ve griped about lack of sleep, the dog’s shenanigans, traffic, having too much to do, my hair, and politics. And that’s just a brief overview – most likely, I’m only scratching the surface.
Focus on what’s good
When we bellyache, we are actually grumbling against God’s leadership in our lives. He tells us to do everything without complaining (Philippians 2:14), because that will make us stand out in the world. The key to accomplishing that is to fix our thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, and to think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). Hmmmm, exchanging something “complaint worthy” with gratitude for something praiseworthy…it just might be my ticket out of Grumble City.
Be thankful for the small things
My goal is to gain new lenses on my eyes, to help see God’s provision in my life. I think the best way to do that is to highlight my appreciation for things I mostly take for granted. I’ve started making a list, and I’d love to hear your ideas too.
Please join me on this adventure, as we attempt to shut down the negativity and focus on the good together!
Connect!