As I read Psalm 78 this morning about the Israelites wandering for 40 years in the desert, I tried to imagine what my attitude might have been had I been there, too. Would I have whined and complained about the same old same old food—manna and quail—day after day? Now, I do love leftovers. They require no preparation, no slaving over a hot stove and they are quick to heat up. But the same menu, day after day, week after week, year after…? Forty years?
I have to admit I don’t think I would have been the model of gratitude if I had been there. However, after reading how grieved the Lord was with their ungrateful attitude, it made me think…what about today?
Am I grieving Him because I am focusing on all the things that aren’t going right in my life or in this world and ignoring all the blessings He has provided? Are my thoughts and words pleasing to Him, or do I need to be a bit more diligent about taking my thoughts (and comments) captive to the obedience of the Lord? (See 2 Cor. 10:5.)
I know many are grieving the loss of loved ones or are struggling with health issues. That’s not my focus here. It’s okay to be sad, to miss someone especially as the holidays approach. I’m not suggesting we stuff those feelings or deny them.
What convicted me in Psalm 78 was God’s anger concerning the whining and complaining when He daily provided food and water, and His presence went with them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. That would (I hope) have caught my attention and hopefully might have kept my mouth shut.
What are some steps we can take to cultivate a grateful heart, especially in light of today’s challenges and with Thanksgiving approaching? Here are some actions that I am trying to implement:
- Asking God to make me aware of my negative thoughts. I can start my day with prayer and Scripture, but in less than an hour be focused on the negatives on my to-do list. Or the dog starts barking while I am in the middle of writing and my mood sours at the noisy, unwelcome interruption.
- Asking the Holy Spirit to help me do a quick edit of those thoughts as soon as they pop up—kind of like whack-a-mole. Asking for wisdom to substitute healthier, more upbeat alternatives such as: Thank You, Lord, that my dog brings me comfort and joy. Please keep complaining far from me. Help me meet his needs without fussing.
- Editing negative thoughts quickly to avert a sour mood from setting in and stealing my peace and energy.
Thoughts produce emotions. Emotions produce behaviors, good or not so good. I have to ask myself, isn’t it well worth a few seconds of pruning negative thinking to avoid minutes or even hours of irritation and dissatisfaction?
The more we practice retraining our minds, the faster and easier it becomes. I had lots of practice doing this tonight. I found a dark green stain on my beige carpet where my dog chewed something that fell off a night stand. Then he repeatedly rang his bell to go outside…again…and again…and…again! Not to mention that we discovered some gnats in our kitchen tonight.
Object lesson after object lesson as I write this—just to keep me honest with this post.
As Thanksgiving draws near, I am motivated to monitor what I am focusing on, to substitute gratitude for a sour attitude and to be mindful that everything we have is a gift from God.
I can get frustrated waiting for prayers to be answered, but in this holiday season, let’s be grateful for what the Lord has done already, rather than being upset at what He has yet to do. Let’s trust in His goodness and His timing for those unanswered prayers.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18