Dear Blogging Audience,
So, here I am, just a few days before I graduate and I'm realizing something: I'm a whiner. I whine a lot. Maybe it's not always with my words but with my attitude, my actions, my lack of actions. Some way, some how, I show I am not satisfied and/or ungrateful for some reason or another. Why? Why, friends? Why must I think I am so high and mighty that I can look down my nose at anything? If I'm looking down at something, that means I have not gone to the lowest place. And the lowest place is where I'll find Jesus. If I am serious about finding Jesus, I need to take the lowest place seriously.
Yes, there are uncomfortable situations, there are things that really don't seem to add to life and yes, we do have different opinions and preferences. But how do I hold my heart in those times? Is it looking for a way to bless those around me? Is it resting in the knowledge that God is holding my every breath in His hand? Is it unoffended? When I am offended that means I have pride. When I whine that means I have pride. Pride is so ugly, guys.
The picture that keeps coming to mind is me, sitting in some uncomfortable situation but I'm rejoicing and happy because I've found the joy of the Lord in my circumstances. I don't mind what is going on because I have felt the love of my Father for me. I have confidence in the love my Bridegroom has for me. And I trust that justice will come to me from my Judge. I don't have to make it come. I don't have to worry about it. I can trust in the love of my Father.
The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? [Psalm 27:1]
Why do I not take this verse seriously? When I whine and complain and go on and on about not getting my own way, that is me not trusting how God leads me, where God is leading me to and His heart for me on my journey. That is me focused on temporary details that I don't remember for more than a day 95% of the time (unless I blog/journal/tweet about it). Being thankful for the little things, the big things, the in between things is a way that I show that I trust God that He really is my Light. He really is my Salvation. He really is my Stronghold. He really does have good plans for me.
When I complain and whine about something someone else did, I am saying I'm better than them. When you boil it down, it's me saying, "What you did/said wasn't good enough for me." Ugh! That ugly pride monster! Me looking down at another person made in the same Image I was made in! Me judging the thoughts and actions of others when I have no good thing apart from The Lord. Why don't I choose joy in those situations? Is my own physical discomfort in the way of rejoicing in The One that's bigger than any circumstance ever known to mankind? And then there's the fact that NO ONE can do ANYTHING to me outside of what my God has decided.
I have breath right now because the Creator God is saying to my body, "breathe." How can I be a whiner when my life is being sustained every moment by the Living God? Why do I feel like I can look down my nose at something when it is only because God is actively giving me life that keeps me alive in those moments? And that's not even the personal ways God has touched my life: I've had my body healed, I've had my heart restored, I've had my needs met and dreams become reality. I've been loved and blessed. I have people to love and bless. I have communion with the Holy Spirit and Jesus is coming back for me. For me! Oh, glory! What a beautiful thought! And I let the fact that it's hot outside steal my joy... My weak flesh. My strong pride.
I don't know about you, but I don't want to whine. I don't enjoy whining. Especially not when others do it. I want to be found rejoicing even in the times of discomfort. I want to rejoice with others, not look down at them. I don't want my pride to say, "THIS IS MY RIGHT!" and be upset and ungrateful. So, this will be easy, right? ;) I know this is hard. But finding that joy that lights someone up from the inside out because they have an unshakable trust in God is worth going to the lowest places for.
Love,
Me
So, here I am, just a few days before I graduate and I'm realizing something: I'm a whiner. I whine a lot. Maybe it's not always with my words but with my attitude, my actions, my lack of actions. Some way, some how, I show I am not satisfied and/or ungrateful for some reason or another. Why? Why, friends? Why must I think I am so high and mighty that I can look down my nose at anything? If I'm looking down at something, that means I have not gone to the lowest place. And the lowest place is where I'll find Jesus. If I am serious about finding Jesus, I need to take the lowest place seriously.
Yes, there are uncomfortable situations, there are things that really don't seem to add to life and yes, we do have different opinions and preferences. But how do I hold my heart in those times? Is it looking for a way to bless those around me? Is it resting in the knowledge that God is holding my every breath in His hand? Is it unoffended? When I am offended that means I have pride. When I whine that means I have pride. Pride is so ugly, guys.
The picture that keeps coming to mind is me, sitting in some uncomfortable situation but I'm rejoicing and happy because I've found the joy of the Lord in my circumstances. I don't mind what is going on because I have felt the love of my Father for me. I have confidence in the love my Bridegroom has for me. And I trust that justice will come to me from my Judge. I don't have to make it come. I don't have to worry about it. I can trust in the love of my Father.
The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? [Psalm 27:1]
Why do I not take this verse seriously? When I whine and complain and go on and on about not getting my own way, that is me not trusting how God leads me, where God is leading me to and His heart for me on my journey. That is me focused on temporary details that I don't remember for more than a day 95% of the time (unless I blog/journal/tweet about it). Being thankful for the little things, the big things, the in between things is a way that I show that I trust God that He really is my Light. He really is my Salvation. He really is my Stronghold. He really does have good plans for me.
When I complain and whine about something someone else did, I am saying I'm better than them. When you boil it down, it's me saying, "What you did/said wasn't good enough for me." Ugh! That ugly pride monster! Me looking down at another person made in the same Image I was made in! Me judging the thoughts and actions of others when I have no good thing apart from The Lord. Why don't I choose joy in those situations? Is my own physical discomfort in the way of rejoicing in The One that's bigger than any circumstance ever known to mankind? And then there's the fact that NO ONE can do ANYTHING to me outside of what my God has decided.
I have breath right now because the Creator God is saying to my body, "breathe." How can I be a whiner when my life is being sustained every moment by the Living God? Why do I feel like I can look down my nose at something when it is only because God is actively giving me life that keeps me alive in those moments? And that's not even the personal ways God has touched my life: I've had my body healed, I've had my heart restored, I've had my needs met and dreams become reality. I've been loved and blessed. I have people to love and bless. I have communion with the Holy Spirit and Jesus is coming back for me. For me! Oh, glory! What a beautiful thought! And I let the fact that it's hot outside steal my joy... My weak flesh. My strong pride.
I don't know about you, but I don't want to whine. I don't enjoy whining. Especially not when others do it. I want to be found rejoicing even in the times of discomfort. I want to rejoice with others, not look down at them. I don't want my pride to say, "THIS IS MY RIGHT!" and be upset and ungrateful. So, this will be easy, right? ;) I know this is hard. But finding that joy that lights someone up from the inside out because they have an unshakable trust in God is worth going to the lowest places for.
Love,
Me
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