We had ourselves a fine day and a half, so there wasn’t any cause to complain…and who would a body complain to? The last I’d heard the weather was created by the same one that created all of us. Well you ain’t likely to hear me tell Him, He ain’t doin’ it to my likin’. Nope…”
–Lou Bradshaw (Agular)
“Jesus therefore answered and said to them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves.'”
–John 6:43 (NKJV)
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Disbelief, murmuring, complaining, ungratefulness, throw those attitudes away from you. There is too much at stake to be ungrateful to the Lord for His keeping hand. One of the main reasons that Israel wandered for forty years was their complaining. No, learn to be grateful despite the gloomy weather. It is only gloomy because you say it is. God has allowed this day, no matter the weather, to be a part of your life. Why should we complain about it?
Remember Job? He wanted an audience with the Lord; a court session. When the Lord finally came to Job, Job has nothing to say when God looked at him. “Who are you?” asked the Lord. That’s all it took. No matter the weather, the circumstance, the even, we should look unto the Lord. Take a glance and ponder the following:
“But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.”
–John 17:13 (NKJV)
We are to have joy. Happiness should abound. Now, they are not always the same, but often they are entwined together. Jesus says that His joy is to remain in us, and one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy. Look at a few things that joyful, happy people have in their lives. (Thanks to Carlos Murphy for some of these ideas).
1) They are rarely the richest people.
2) They are not addicted to worldly fun. (ouch, did that touch a nerve?)
3) They enjoy the simple things.
4) They don’t waste time thinking about greener pastures.
5) They do not yearn for yesterday or tomorrow.
6) They savor each moment.
7) They enjoy their work, families, and things around them.
8) They are adaptable, they can bend with change, enjoying the contests of life.
9) They know how to live in harmony and are at peace with themselves.
10) Their eyes are turned outward.
11) They have great capacity to love.
12) They walk in the presence of the Lord. “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11, NKJV)
That’s probably enough to ponder for at least a week, but I’m going to throw in one more little tidbit. The author of this is unknown but take time, in light of your situation, to contemplate.
“Oh, let us rejoice in the Lord, evermore,
When darts of the tempter are flying,
For Satan still dreads, as he did of yore,
Our singing much more than our sighing.”