Trust

I was reading an acquaintances blog in which they talked about all the things they are doing to save money and worries about a second job to make ends meet, and I realized how fortunate we are to be in the position we are in, especially with the economy the way it is.  We budget and plan how much we will spend each week, trying to stay within a certain amount, but we don't really have to pinch pennies.  We save quite a bit each month and life comfortably within our means - and I don't really ever take the time to appreciate that gift.  God has really blessed us and all I can manage to do is find ways to be unhappy and ungrateful about it.  What a sad thing for me to realize about myself!

...

As I was sitting here typing and thinking out loud a little bit, I realized that I was about to make an entire post of complaints.  Things in my life that I wish were different, things I wish were better, things that I don't like about myself or others...negative, negative, negative.  It reminds me of a re-write of an old hymn that I learned once,

"Gripe and complain, gripe and complain, why be happy in Jesus? when you can gripe and complain!!"

I know, it's stupid.  But it reminds me of an important truth.  I am called to live my life in a way that glorifies my Father, and the only thing that I do by complaining all the time - even if no one hears it (you know, the tree in the woods...) - is show the people around me that I think my God isn't big enough, isn't capable enough of meeting my needs.

The truth is though, He is SO big!  He is SO capable!!  Why is it so hard for me to truly trust Him with the life that He gave me in the first place?  I'm not even guaranteed the next breath I breathe, so why am I wasting them on complaints?