Showing posts with label Grumbling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grumbling. Show all posts

September 19, 2018

Logs, Splinters, and Nits


This morning while I was emptying the dishwasher, I grumbled. I was thankful my husband helped clean up the kitchen the night before, but he didn’t load it the way I prefer. For one instance, I want the knives pointing down, but he places them up. They are visible enough to avoid their points when I am unloading, but I still make the request that he load them my way, sometimes graciously, sometimes not.

Same in other situations. I appreciate his help, but it’s easy to find logs, splinters, and nits if things aren’t done according to my preference.

As I’ve aged I’ve gotten a little better at appreciating rather than complaining, especially after my brush with breast cancer, but I still slip up now and then and God lets me know, often immediately, as he did this morning.   

My first reading was from 1 Corinthians 13: 13: “And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.”

Charity in words, deeds — and thoughts, giving someone the benefit of the doubt, not judging motives or finding fault. 

In my devotion, Living Faith, Melanie Rigney stated, “Remember, God is God and we are his servants, not his judges.”

When things don’t go my way, or people act or do things different from what I think is proper and just, I’ll try to remember God has not appointed me judge over anyone, least of all Him. 

Your will, Lord, not mine. Amen.

January 30, 2016

What If I Don't Want To?

Photo by Clare Bloomfield at FreeDigitalPhotos.net              
I am doing what God has told me to do, but I don't want to, and I am grumbling. The editing process is atrocious and tedious, and why does it matter anyway? Out of the millions of books currently in publication, mine will not make any difference.

 God, however, has a different opinion on that subject. This came from an email this week by Pastor Greg Laurie, James 4:17. "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it."

Ouch.

The next morning, the meditation from Living Faith talked about St. Paul’s conversion. After being knocked off his horse and blinded by bright light, St. Paul asked, “What shall I do, sir?” Acts 22:10.

I would not like God to get my attention in the same way.

So, what would you have me do, Lord?

The answer came the following morning in My Living Faith devotional. Saint Angela Merici, the founder of the Sisters of Saint Ursula, said, “We must unceasingly believe, hope, and act.”

I do believe. I do hope, but exactly how does God want me to act? Did he really mean he wanted me to sit hour after hour at the computer searching out repetitive, misspelled words in a manuscript? Why?