1 Thessalonians 5:18(NIV)
Fretting and fighting over the small stuff will always cause you to lose your happiness.
This is a hard habit to break because people are negative by nature and conditioned by culture. Ever since Adam and Eve, we have been going around excusing and accusing. We excuse ourselves for the mistakes we make, and we also accuse everybody else for our mistakes.
We tell ourselves things like, 'If I just had a different spouse, then I’d be happy.' 'If I had just never gotten married, then I’d be happy.' 'If I just had children, then I’d be happy.' 'If my children would leave home, then I would be happy.'
That is “when and then” thinking—when this happens, then I’ll be happy. But you are as happy as you choose to be! You can’t blame anybody else for your unhappiness because happiness is a choice. You have to stop excusing and accusing; you have to stop fretting and fighting over the small stuff.
The Bible says, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure” (Philippians 2:14-15 NIV).
That may be one of the most difficult verses in the Bible. But the scariest verse in the Bible to me is Matthew 12:36, where Jesus says, “And I tell you that on the Judgment Day people will be responsible for every careless thing they have said” (NCV).
That ought to send shivers up your spine. How many times have you complained, grumbled, or argued about something when you shouldn’t have been sweating the small stuff? The first law of life is this: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Law number two is this: It’s almost all small stuff!
Study after study has shown that gratitude is the healthiest attitude.
What do you have to be thankful for? Remember, no matter what is going on in your life, God is always with you, God is always in you, and God is always for you.
That’s cause for gratitude, not grumbling.
Fretting and fighting over the small stuff will always cause you to lose your happiness.
This is a hard habit to break because people are negative by nature and conditioned by culture. Ever since Adam and Eve, we have been going around excusing and accusing. We excuse ourselves for the mistakes we make, and we also accuse everybody else for our mistakes.
We tell ourselves things like, 'If I just had a different spouse, then I’d be happy.' 'If I had just never gotten married, then I’d be happy.' 'If I just had children, then I’d be happy.' 'If my children would leave home, then I would be happy.'
That is “when and then” thinking—when this happens, then I’ll be happy. But you are as happy as you choose to be! You can’t blame anybody else for your unhappiness because happiness is a choice. You have to stop excusing and accusing; you have to stop fretting and fighting over the small stuff.
The Bible says, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure” (Philippians 2:14-15 NIV).
That may be one of the most difficult verses in the Bible. But the scariest verse in the Bible to me is Matthew 12:36, where Jesus says, “And I tell you that on the Judgment Day people will be responsible for every careless thing they have said” (NCV).
That ought to send shivers up your spine. How many times have you complained, grumbled, or argued about something when you shouldn’t have been sweating the small stuff? The first law of life is this: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Law number two is this: It’s almost all small stuff!
Study after study has shown that gratitude is the healthiest attitude.
What do you have to be thankful for? Remember, no matter what is going on in your life, God is always with you, God is always in you, and God is always for you.
That’s cause for gratitude, not grumbling.
Talk It Over
Do you think you will have to give an account to God for the “small” things you’ve complained about? Why or why not?
According to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, what is God’s will for your life?
What are some practical ways you can practice gratitude throughout the day?
Do you think you will have to give an account to God for the “small” things you’ve complained about? Why or why not?
According to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, what is God’s will for your life?
What are some practical ways you can practice gratitude throughout the day?
- by Pastor Rick
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Prayer:
Father,
We want to be like Jesus who obeyed You without complaint. We want to embrace the chains of humanity as Jesus did when He walked this earth. Convict us whenever we complain or compare ourselves with others. Give us an attitude of humility and thankful acceptance. We want to be like the Apostle Paul who learned contentment in every circumstance. We choose to continually offer You the sacrifice of praise, according to Your Word. Teach us the rhythm and power of a thankful heart. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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