SELFISH SILLINESS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

It is easy to lose perspective some days isn’t it?

When life is flowing along beautiful and breezily it is easy to be grateful and steady; it’s easy to recognize GOD and extol about His goodness and mercy. But let things get a little out of frame and WATCH OUT!

Perspective changes.

Grumbling begins.

Ungratefulness replaces gratitude and bitterness bumps blessing right out of the way.

I had a little day like that; yesterday in fact.

I wanted to have a day off. I wanted to do some stuff for me. I wanted to play golf with a friend. I wanted to maybe even grab a nice lunch.

Then I didn’t get to do any of it and I got “pouty” and “grumbly” and “whiny” and (insert your favorite unpleasant adjective here…)

How "SILLY" is that? And no I can't blame it on the heat!

However did you notice the BIG problem with my “plan for yesterday”? It was way too focused on what?

“I”. Me!

The day was going to be all about me and then GOD and a few "untimely circumstances" decided to make it about some others and “I”wasn’t happy about it.

Again, how SILLY is that? But I couldn't see that yesterday. No way. No how.

But thanks to some new mercies and a little sleep I can see this morning just how silly all of that “I” nonsense really is and was.

So today instead of “crying over spilt milk”, I decided to ask GOD to remove that selfish defect from my character and reset my view. And you know what HE did?

He stepped in and changed my perpective!

He reminded me of all my blessings and that gratitude, not grumbling, is expected!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

He reminded me that I am here to be a blessing to others.

1 Peter 3:9-10

…bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here’s what you do...Snub evil and cultivate good

The lesson for me (and maybe you as well) is when life or God does something that we don't like (like messing up our “day off docket”), instead of grumbling and complaining, pause and get HIS take on the matter. For while WE make plans, GOD has the last word after all.

Proverbs 16:1

Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word.

It is probable that there is a greater purpose for that day than catering to you.

Then after seeking His perspective and listening for Him, you will perhaps learned what I did this morning; to be grateful and trusting; to trade selfishness for service and be willing to TRUST HIM with the day and accept His wise choices in all things.

For when we pause get "GOD's TAKE" our perspective will change, we will be able to see the signs of His goodness everywhere, we will remember WHOSE we are and what we are designed for and all that selfish grumbling will then just seem...“silly”.

I love you all…

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney