January 23, 2013
Go From Grumbling to Gratitude in the Blink of an Eye
Sharon Jaynes
Today’s Truth
Do everything without grumbling and arguing, (Philippians 2:14 NIV)
Friend to Friend
Gratitude can change your perspective on the simplest of mundane tasks and transform them into moments of sudden glory where you experience God’s presence in an intimate way. One day I was mopping the kitchen floor and my mood was anything but grateful. I grumbled with each push of the mop. Complained with each dip in the bucket. Here I am mopping this floor again and no one even appreciates it. I feel like this housework is never finished. Clean today. Dirty tomorrow. Why do I even bother?
Then right in the middle of the kitchen, God showed up. Actually, He was there all along, but my grumbling blinded the eyes of my heart to recognize His presence. New thoughts began to emerge as I pushed the mop across the linoleum floor. I believe God put them there.
Suppose you were blind and you couldn’t see the beautiful patterns on the linoleum floor or the spilled juice by the refrigerator door. Suppose you were deaf and you couldn’t hear the soothing sound of the soap bubbles dissolving in the bucket or the rhythmic sound of the mop being pushed back and forth across the floor’s hard surface. Suppose you were in a wheel chair and you weren’t strong enough to stand upright and grasp the wooden handle in your nimble hands to erase the muddy footprints and make the floor shiny and clean again. Suppose you didn’t have a home or a family to clean up after.
Suddenly, my grumbling turned into a song of praise and gratitude. “Thank You, Lord, for the privilege of mopping this dirty floor. Thank You for the health and strength to hold this mop in my strong hands and to wrap my agile fingers around its handle. Thank You for the sight to see the crumbs, the dirt, and the spilled juice. Thank You for the sense of smell to enjoy the clean, fresh scent of the soap in my bucket. Thank You for the many precious feet that will walk through this room and dirty it all up again. And Lord, thank You for the privilege of having a floor to mop and a family to clean up after.
A sudden glory.
Let’s Pray
Lord, I thank You for dirty clothes, muddy shoes, messy rooms, a dusty house, tired legs, aching knees, and taxes. I thank You that I have clothes, shoes, a room to make a mess in, a house to get dirty, legs that work, knees that bend and a free country in which I can pay taxes.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Check out the Amplified Bible’s translation of Philippians 2:14: “Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]…
Why do you think the Amplified included [against God]?
What did Moses say to the Israelites about who they were grumbling against? Exodus 16:8
If you are a Pinterest pinner, check out my pin on my Facebook page today. Consider printing it out and making a warning sign for your home!
More from the Girlfriends
Seeing God through the lens of gratitude and grace is one of the themes of my book, A Sudden Glory: God’s Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More. It’s a great book to help you experience God’s presence on a daily basis. But if you have trouble with grumbling, complaining, and controlling your tongue, I’d suggest delving into my book, The Power of a Woman’s Words.What a great New Year’s Resolution: CONTROL MY TONGUE! You can find them both on my website at www.sharonjaynes.com
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Originally published Wednesday, 23 January 2013.
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