Perspective

Sometimes prespective comes out of nowhere...and usually unexpected or unsolicited!


I suppose since I'm reading the book (One Thousand Gifts), the thought of gratefulness should have been expected, but yet it still seemed to hit me upside the head.  


Really?  I should live with an attitude of gratefulness?  
                             Will that really make me feel better about life?  
                             Will all my troubles just vanish?  
                             Will I suddenly see world peace?  

Okay, so my expectations were a little out of reach.
However, if your attitude changes, doesn't your perspective?


As I continue to read this book...I feel convicted.  Not just a little pang of "yikes, I need to be more grateful" but the "hit me in the face...I am a complainer" type of jab.  At first I wanted to deny it or at least justify it.


I just complain about the things other people do...traffic...weather...stupid people doing stupid things...you know...normal!  But is it?  Who deemed it "normal" to complain?  Do we have any examples in scripture about God allowing us to be self-involved and complain about what He has or has not provided?  
<Sigh>

Again, there is a smack upside the head
and the sinfulness of man strikes again.


So, if we were not called to be complainers, what are we called to be instead? Grateful recipients of God's gifts, such as...
  • Gifts of life.
  • Gifts of music.
  • Gifts of morning birds chirping.
  • Gifts of coffee in the morning.
  • Gifts of cupcakes slathered with frosting.
  • Gifts of sunshine and moonlight dancing on the water.
  • Gifts of a child giggling at the silliest things.
  • Gifts of moms.
  • Gifts of dads.
  • Gifts of sisters.
  • Gifts of brothers.
  • Gifts of a church body.
  • Gifts of a vehicle.
  • Gifts of intellect.
  • Gifts of God's Word in written form.
  • Gifts of time.
  • Gifts of ____________ (fill in the blank)

Couldn't we{I} go on for a long time about the gifts we have been given by God?  What are you grateful for today?


Today I am grateful for conviction.  A reminder to know God's truth and allow that truth to free me from ungratefulness, no, that even sounds too nice.  To free me from being a noisy complainer.  One who has disregarded God's good gifts and has chosen to look at what is missing rather than what is abundant. 


A prayer that was given to me by a friend has attached itself to my heart today.  It is a short and simple prayer from Origen of Alexandria (first systematic theologian from C. 254)
"Lord God, let us keep your Scriptures in mind and meditate on them day and night, preserving in prayer, always on the watch.  We beg you, Lord, to give us real knowledge of what we read and to show us not only how to understand it, but how to put it into practice, so that we may deserve to obtain spiritual grace, enlightened by the law of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord, whose power and glory will endure throughout all ages. Amen."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Psalm 19:14

"May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." 

Comments

  1. DebJune 30, 2012 at 4:52 PM

    Hi Sarah! I ran into your blog from a friend of a friend. I really appreciated what you wrote about how we are all recipients of one gift after another! I like your writing! Deb Mears Eriksen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarah BJuly 2, 2012 at 8:03 AM

      Thanks Deb for checking out my blog...it is a new adventure for me! Thank you for your kind words!

      Have a blessed day!
      Sarah

      Delete

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