Nit Picking God's Blessings

Yesterday my husband had a great sermon that I definitely needed to hear as I'm sure most could. (You can listen to it here it's the first of the Into the Wild series)

So often we ask God to bless us and then we nit pick or criticize those blessing because they weren't exactly what we had in mind. We ask God for warmer/cooler weather and then get frustrated because it's now too hot/cold. We ask God for a new job and then we don't like the one that He provides. We ask God for opportunities to show others His love and then don't like it when we're put into difficult situations. We ask God to show us the needs of others and to unblind us to what those around us are dealing with and then we complain and balk that we see to much and try to unsee it.

As churches we even do the same things at times. We ask God to bless our church and bring people in and then we complain that God brought "those" people. We ask for God to bless us with more young families but then get frustrated when we have to give up our time and work in the Children's ministry. We want less of some things and more of others. We complain about song choices instead of realizing we get to sing freely and that maybe God picked those songs to speak to a specific person that day. We nit pick carpet colors and other superficial things. We focus on the way things were instead of seeing what God is presently and actively doing.


When we do this we're telling God that the ways He's chosen to bless us is wrong. It would be like complaining about a birthday or Christmas gift that somebody spent a lot of time thinking about. And yes I admit I've done that but I've also been on the other end when someone was ungrateful for a gift I spent time and energy picking just for them. That's what we do to God when we say what He picked just for us; the situation, the people, the experiences, the opportunities, just aren't good enough or what we wanted. The Creator of all who knows us far better then we know our self and knows what we need before we even realize it, chooses to lavish us with blessing of all kind; time, weather, people, circumstances, and we essentially throw it back at Him and demand He try again.
When we nit pick and are ungrateful for what God has provided for us we look a lot like those Israelites who complained about the Lord providing manna. Sure they had to eat the same thing day after day but they had food! And yes they were in the wilderness and waiting on God to show them where to go but they were free and no longer slaves! It's easy for us to look at them and read these stories and think of how foolish they are but are we acting the same way. I have to admit many times I am and I have to stop and take a step back to see how foolish I too am acting.

I think many times our nit picking and criticizing of thing comes from a negative attitude. I am first in this line and category as this is something I struggle with. Sometimes I'm a "glass half full person", but more times then not that is not my first reaction. This is something I'm trying to work on as that is not how I want my kids to see life. I want them to look around and see the good in situations and times even you have to look really really hard to see them. I want their eyes and hearts to be attuned to what God is doing in and around them and then be grateful for those things and not criticize them.

Philippians 4:8-9
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

If we put this verse into action we wouldn't have those negative thoughts and attitudes because we'd be concentrating on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. Not the things that are difficult, not our preference, or critical. It's hard to be at peace or have a spirit of peace when we're negative. We're more likely irritable, frustrated and easy to anger. But it clearly says that when we think on these things that God's peace will be with us. That sure sounds like a better way to live. I want to live at peace! I want get rid of these tendencies for irritability, frustration and anger. I hate that too often those are my go to responses. I want that peace and to do that I have to allow God to change my way of thinking. I need people in my life when I start thinking like that to hold me accountable and who remind me that thinking like that will lead me away from who God created me to be and away from the life and blessing He has for me.

So what about you? Are you stuck on the negative nit picking merry-go-round where your first reaction is to criticize and complain? And I'm sure many of us will say, "Me? No, I'm not like that but I know people who are." And yes we all know people like that but are we too like that? Negative attitudes and complaining attitudes love the company of other like minded people, so if you can name a bunch of your friends or people you spend time with that have this going on then you might want to take a good look at your own attitude. If we're not careful we're going to miss out on the joy, blessing and life that God created just for us! We're going to miss out on the Church He created and the opportunities He's giving us to step into a mission and a purpose along side Him. If we're not careful we'll becomes blind to these blessing and the things He has in store for us and we'll miss out on so much more. Don't let negativity and nit picking rob you of the life God wants for you!

Fight Back With JOY

For many years I have fallen in love with Margaret Feinberg's Bible studies. I love the depth and incredible insight she gives while it feels like I'm sitting across from her having coffee. I was super excited about her new book that has just come out and so when our 6 week leader guide and books arrived last week I couldn't wait to curl up and dive into Fight Back With Joy. I thought I could really use some more Joy in my life, I mean who couldn't, but what I found between these pages far surpassed what I knew about joy and has changed how my joy will be lived out.
I've always loved the relatability and humor that Margaret weaves through every page of her books, but Fighting Back With Joy added vulnerability and a whole new insight to Margaret and even more respect for that openness. While this book allows us to see her fight with and against breast cancer, it's not just for those fighting cancer but for anyone in any fight or battle. Depression/loneliness, divorce/abandonment, fear/regret, financial or relationship battles, or the wilderness in which we find ourselves, we can all relate to some area where a fight wages and we need help finding joy through that seemingly impossible time. For me I also feel that this book while it has helped me understand my own fight, I think it shows incredible insight in understanding others fights and battles and how to help them during that time. "All of us are in a fight. Others can fight with you,but no one can fight this for you." (pg.18)

"Everyone who wakes to a confrontation and crisis- whether you picked the fight or the fight picked you- has an important choice: which weaponry will you choose? Cynicism and spite? Complaint and control? Or perhaps you are prone to deny and withdraw. To let your fleshy heart turn to stone. But there is another arsenal available to the daughters and sons of God." (pg.18)
Joy as a weapon? I never thought about joy as a weapon and as I look back at many past fights that I've waged I did not fight back with that weapon. I hate to admit cynicism, sarcasm, and complaint were the weapons that I drew first. I can't help but wonder looking back with new insight and a much better perspective, how different those situations and circumstances would have been if I'd chosen joy instead. "Joy would not deny the hardship, but would choose to acknowledge and face it no matter the outcome." (pg. 18) No, having joy would not make everything instantly better or make things suddenly easy. But it would have changed me and more then likely the people around me because I had chosen to have that joy. Joy requires more then just a choice, it requires intentionality. Margaret defines joy as a whole spectrum of emotions, actions, and responses. They include gladness, cheer, happiness, merriment, delighting, dancing, shouting, exulting, rejoicing, laughing, playing, brightening, blessing and being blessed, taking pleasure in and being well pleased. "The Bible insists that joy is more than a feeling; it's an action. We don't just sense joy; we embody it by how we respond to the circumstances before us.: (pg. 19)
Far too often then not, when life has knocked me down, when I felt felt alone and deserted in the wilderness, rejoicing or happiness or delighting have felt light years away. Looking back I feel like this could have so much more to do with my unwillingness or blindness to the blessings of joy that God placed right in front of me but because they may not have looked like or been what I was expecting I missed out on those precious gifts.
I don't want to miss out on anymore opportunities for joy! I want to recognize each and every one and delight that those sweet moments or opportunities have been given to me. I want to look for ways to spread joy to others as well.
This book, like every other book of Margaret's I've read, has and will change the way I pray. In the fights that life brings I have a new arsenal and my weapon of choice from now on will be joy. I don't believe for a second that this decision will be easy but my choice will be that it's worth it.

If you haven't already picked up a copy of Fight Back With Joy, go do it! Check out this promo video and chose today to arm yourself with a new weapon in life's battles and fights.