Discontentment

Hope you are having a good 'hump day' today......Mine has been by and large another 'phone day', trying to catch up on calls.  I am TRYING to have Wednesdays as message preparation day, or at least half of it, but not to be today.....!

Yesterday, my son Michael and I were talking and he made the comment..."You know, dad, I really think most people hate their jobs."

I had to agree with him.

I read this post from Perry Noble today that was right on the money about this whole thing of discontentment.  I struggle with it; we all struggle with it to some degree or the other.  Being thankful is indeed 100% against our human nature!

Enjoy.....!

PB

Life Ain’t That Bad!

I was complaining on the way to work this morning about the traffic problems that we currently have in Anderson.  Seriously, a lady in front of me stopped at a green light…A GREEN LIGHT…how in the world does anyone do that?

And then it seems like Anderson adds a new red light somewhere every week–I seriously think the leaders in our community are trying to set a new world record in regards to the number of red lights a community can add over a 10 year period…WHICH happens to slow me down AND give me another reason to complain. 

So…I was complaining out loud to no one in particular about “green light lady” AND the number of flippin’ red lights…UNTIL it hit me where I had spent a lot of time yesterday…

ATLANTA! 

Have you ever sat in traffic in Atlanta?  Oh my dang!!!  There are some really mean people in Atlanta–and they were all on the road yesterday…some even indicated to me that I was #1!  (I told Lucretia that if God ever called us to Atlanta that a burning bush would not work–I would need a burning forest!!!)

It hit me when I was sitting at my fourth red light this morning that I could be in Atlanta…I could be stuck in traffic…I could be going 15 miles per hour on the interstate…yep, things could be a lot worse off than they are right now.

Don’t we all get caught up in that?

We complain about it being “too hot” or “too cold” in a particular place–when in reality most of us do not know what too hot or too cold really means because we have grown up with heat and air conditioning.

We complain about food being not cooked the way we want it–not realizing that the very thing we detest because it doesn’t have cheese on it like we asked for would be for some a treasure beyond comprehension.

We complain about not having anything to wear–when in reality our closets are filled with clothing.

We complain about the line at the doctors office–when all across the world people are dying because their basic health care needs cannot be met…and if they could have access to what we have they would stand in line for days…without complaining.

We complain about our cell phones not working…our computers being slow…certain channels on the television not being in HD…we complain about so much…(please understand I am saying “WE”!)

My question for all of us this morning is this–when was the last time you simply told God, “thanks”?  Instead of complaining about certain things–just try thanking God.  Seriously–if you want to stretch yourself today–get out a piece of paper and begin to write down ALL of the things that you take for granted–your couch, your car, the nice sheets on your bed…and THANK God for them.  It will bring a perspective to your life that you have never seen–trust me, I’ve tried this–it’s awesome.

All in all–life ain’t that bad!  Just when you think you are at rock bottom–that all hell has broken loose–that life could not get any worse–keep this in mind…you might think your life is horrible right now, but somewhere in this world there is someone that would trade places with you, bad circumstances and all, because in their mind you’ve got it a lot better than they will ever have it.

Yes, we have our bumps in the road–trials–struggles–but life ain’t that bad.  So…go ahead, get out that piece of paper–make a list…and say thanks!!!!  I promise it will make your day go better…and it just might put that smile back on your face that has been missing for a while!

Comments

[Lisa]

Always grateful, for everything! Every person in the States should live outside the country at least once in their lifetime and the world would be a better place, for most!

[Jeremy]

I thank you for posting this issue of being thankful for what we have. You may not know me; I actually go to Olive Baptist. But I got to go to Khabarovsk, Russia (a city in Siberia) last March. I still keep up with friends that I made there, and they are a constant reminder for me to be grateful for what we have here. Believe me, we really live like kings in America, and it is a wonder that God hasn't taken it away from us.

[Vicky]

Just read the post today after being home sick for two days, not really feeling any better but I am at work. I say I am thankful for sick pay! I am thankful I have a job even though there are really stressful day!!! Like today a major water line broke and there has been calls for 1 1/2 hours from cranky residents about no water.

[Cheryl]

Pastor Bobby,
Wow! What a slap of reality. Seems I have been experiencing the same thoughts for a
couple of weeks,which I am ashamed to admit.
My attitude needed an adjustment.The article was very timely. Needless to say -
I repent!

Have a great day
Cheryl

[Scott]

Off to work at 6:00am but I love my work so no complaints here. While in China on a short term mission I was talking to a young guy on a ship we were on. He was in training to be a ship captain. I asked him how he chose that occupation and he said, he didn't, he wanted to be a police officer but the scores he got on their SAT "type" test said he was better suited to be a ship captain. He had no choice, he said he would do it for about 7 years and then look for a way out of the job. It struck me that in a communist country, he had to do the job they chose for him! In America, you may hate your job, but theres no law saying you have to stay in that job. I think our freedom is the most important thing to be thankful for, in more ways than one.
Scott

[Betty]

Good stuff and right on time. I've been having my own personal "issues" the past several days, and all afternoon God has used things to remind me it's really not as bad as I want to act like it is...and that He still loves me even when I can't seem to do anything except whine...This posting was a great end to my day. Thanks!

[becca]

Ouch!! I have been soooo right here for the last few weeks. You know, our Kidstuf verse for the month is: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in ALL circumstances..." And the things we find to complain about...