I think the Lord was trying to tell me something.

It started a couple of weeks ago when I read a blog post written by my friend Margaret Kemp (you can read it here). In her article, Quarreling with God, Margaret gently reminds us how easily we can turn to grumbling and complaining, and even quarreling with God, when things don’t go as we planned or hoped. And yet, there are always so many excellent reasons to turn to Him and offer prayers of praise and thanksgiving.

What a nice reminder, I remember thinking, because who doesn’t struggle with complaining and grumbling from time to time?

Only my struggle hadn’t been from time to time, as my husband pointed out a few days later. From his perspective, I seemed to only see the negatives in my life. Looking back over the last few weeks, I realized he was right. Sigh. 

If I take an honest inventory of my life, I easily see the positives outweigh the negatives. Yet it’s so easy for me to focus on whatever isn’t going right, because problems and irritants grab my attention. And when I allow them to control my thoughts, I grow a grumbling spirit. I’m not sure I can change what grabs my attention, but I have learned to change my mindset.

In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul wrote:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)

Paul urges us to live differently from the rest of the world, and this begins by changing the way we think. So while it’s easy to give in to complaining and grumbling, I decided to change my thought patterns.

When something irritating grabbed my attention, I reminded myself to think of something for which I am thankful. Full confession: at first it was hard. I had no idea how often negative and complaining thoughts entered my consciousness. But it got easier. And I began feeling more positive and joyful. My husband also noticed an improvement in my demeanor. 

Thankfully we don’t have to let our thoughts dwell on what grabs our attention. And we can transform our behavior by changing our thought patterns. 

As I continue on my life’s journey, I know it will not always go as I planned or hoped. In those times, I pray I always find reasons to be thankful and to praise the One who continues to lead me. Wherever you are in your journey, I pray the same for you.