{"id":2020,"date":"2019-04-09T18:30:33","date_gmt":"2019-04-09T23:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/belovedlove.org\/reflections\/?p=2020"},"modified":"2019-05-17T15:35:15","modified_gmt":"2019-05-17T20:35:15","slug":"complaint-and-contentment-from-bitter-to-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/belovedlove.org\/reflections\/2019\/04\/09\/complaint-and-contentment-from-bitter-to-better\/","title":{"rendered":"Complaint and Contentment Series – Part 2: From Bitter to Better"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I was in a bad mood. I don\u2019t mean a \u201cpity party\u201d kind of bad. I mean a \u201cdon\u2019t mess with me\u201d kind of bad. The kind of mood where everyone just stays out of your way, because they don\u2019t want to get their head snapped off.\u00a0 Do you ever have one of those days? Where you can\u2019t find the good in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>anything?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Is there a way to get from bitter to better?\u00a0 To shift our attitude away from toxic negative thinking into a more healthy<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0positive frame of mind?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

W<\/span>hen you are having a bad day, if you are praying at all, think about the kinds of things you are saying to God.\u00a0<\/span>Why does everything have to be so hard? Why can<\/span><\/i>\u2019t<\/span><\/i>\u00a0things just run smoothly, the way I want them to? Why does this ___ have a\u00a0<\/span><\/i>driver<\/span><\/i>‘<\/span><\/i>s<\/span><\/i>\u00a0license?<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We don\u2019t really want answers. We just want to\u00a0<\/span>vent. To\u00a0<\/span>express<\/span>\u00a0our displeasure with God\u2019s way of handling the world.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>(Implying, of course, that we could do it better.)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But what if,<\/span>\u00a0as we are\u00a0<\/span>racing along<\/span>\u00a0on this runaway train of sourpuss-ness, we decide to do something different\u2014totally unexpected<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n

What if we just start<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>giving thanks?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

Yeah right, Lydia.\u00a0 What world are you living in?<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>What could you possibly thank God for when things are going south? What does that even look like?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I know, I know. It seems contrary to our circumstances–and our frame of mind–to say \u201cthank you.\u201d But just try eking out one little prayer of thanksgiving. Something like (don\u2019t laugh)<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0\u201cthank you, God, that I am not always in such a bad mood.\u201d Or like my husband Andrew likes to say<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0\u201c<\/span>t<\/span>hank you that I am not in a prison in southeast Asia.\u201d\u00a0 Come on. Admit it. Doesn\u2019t that make you smile just a little bit?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

OK, maybe a little.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

OK now that you\u2019ve broken the ice, what other things can you thank God for\u00a0<\/span>o<\/span>n this no-good-very-bad day?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thank You, God…<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

–that this\u00a0won’t last forever.
\n–that You are at work, even when I can\u2019t see it.
\n–that You love\u00a0me and\u00a0are with me, no matter what kind of mood I am in. I am not alone.
\n–that You know\u00a0what’s going on and will give me strength and wisdom and perspective.
\n–that You are making good things come from this situation.
\n–that even when I don’t have the big picture, I can trust that You do, and that You will guide me day by day in how to walk through this.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Getting from bitter to\u00a0better<\/span><\/b><\/h1>\n

Thanking God in the middle of our mess shifts our focus away from our circumstances, and back toward God\u2019s goodness. It reminds us of our love of God, and His for us. It restores our joy in the present. And it gives us peace in the middle of the storm.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gratitude doesn\u2019t alter our situation; it transforms our attitude<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>It takes us from bitter to better.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Click below to read other posts in this series on “Complaining and Contentment:”<\/h1>\n

Complaint and Contentment Series – Part 1: Complaining<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n