"Try being a person who sacrificially gives of yourself—without the offering being accompanied by gratitude—and you’ll find every ounce of joy drained dry by a martyr complex."
I have been meditating on this quote for the past couple of days now. I must confess, thankfulness have not been my hearts attitude. I was reading a chapter out of a book that says that when we give in to whining, murmuring, and complaining, we end up on a destructive slide that ultimately leads to bitterness and broken relationships. Sad to say, I have experienced them both.
One of the things I was reminded of today was that a righteous lifestyle involves labor.
The bible gives many admonitions to support this statement...
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly 1Timothy 4:7
And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them:(or practice as some translations say) I am the LORD who sanctifies you. Leviticus 20:8
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ezra 7:10
How blessed are those who keep justice, Who practice righteousness at all times!
Psalm 106:3
The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Phillipians 4:9
Many times, I look around at other wives involved in ministry and wonder..."how in the world do they do it?" Now..I know apart from God's grace none of us can do a thing. But, I am wanting to know practically how is this lived out. How in the world are you homeschooling, showing hospitality,loving your husband, loving your children,then turn around and give your life away to those on the outside WITHOUT COMPLAINING ALL THE TIME? In other words..."how is it that some people are more godly than another?? "
Well, from what I have learned today its because they PRACTICE THE TRUTH THAT THEY HAVE LEARNED. It's just not enough for me to hear the TRUTH. I must practice it at all times. Sometimes, I do...sometimes I don't. It seems to happen the most during those difficult times.It's like all the scripture I know goes out of the window. I know...shame....
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
I want to be known as a thankful person. I want it to be so to where my godliness in this area (all areas for that matter!!!) is habitual. I want to be that woman that I read about the other day who is a grateful breath of fresh air in a world contaminated by bitterness and discontentment....the person whose gratitude is a byproduct of and a response to the redeeming grace of God that showcase the heart of the gospel in a way that is winsome and compelling.
My goodness... I am learning how to choose gratitude and for that I am thankful!!