Tangible Joy

It's a crazy beautiful day. The sky outside the window is an azure blue, and I can hear the birds singing outside my window. The sun streams in through the window and warms the room.

And yet, I'm still grumbling.

I've been sick for a year now. Some days are really good. Other days, not so much. Over the last few weeks, I've defaulted to a completely horrible habit. Grumbling. Even if it's not verbally, it's usually something I'm saying in the back of my mind.

- I complain because I'm tired of being sick

- I complain because of yet another time when I can't do something that my friends are doing because it might damage my health.

- I complain because I spend so much time feeling purposeless.

- I complain because there's so much to get done, but so little energy to accomplish it.

- I complain because of unknowns.

 And yet -- the facts remain.

God is in control of the universe.

There are SO many people hurting SO much worse than me. 

Complaining doesn't change a single thing. 

Complaining doesn't change my circumstances. It changes me. It changes my conduct -- it changes my outlook on life.
Besides, wouldn't you agree that it's entirely narcissistic of my to spend my time focused only on ME? That's exactly what complaining does. When I complain, I am thinking of absolutely no one except myself.

In exchange for those 5 things I listed that I most often complain about, I can easily make a list of 5 things I can be thankful for:

 - I am thankful to have a heart that beats about 35 million times in a year -- and it's entirely voluntary! I don't have to THINK about making it beat.


- I am thankful for every single limb in my body that works correctly.

- I am thankful for the sun, which is positioned so perfectly to our planet that we neither burn up nor freeze.

- I am thankful for a merciful and just God who willingly came to earth to die for my sins.

- I am thankful for a child's voice and laughter.

- I am thankful for four walls and a roof over my head.

- I am thankful that God is in control and not me. Because let's face it -- I would screw it all up. :)
 
I have 7 things on that list because I kept going without realizing it. Looking back now at my reasons for complaining, they seem so silly and insignificant. It's funny how gratefulness does that -- it has the power to turn grumbling into ashes and transform blessings into tangible joy. 

I know life takes crazy, unexpected turns. There are days where I find myself sighing under weights of responsibility, pain, and exhaustion. It's in those moments that it's vitally important to stop. Just stop, take a look around, and remember the goodness of the Lord. Remember His blessings. Remember His love and patience.

"Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning." 
{Psalm 30:4-5}