Throw your hands up, throw your hands up!

Sometimes we have to sit down, take a breath and regroup. Especially when we find ourselves starting to complain and gripe about our lives…where we are and what we are or aren’t doing. If no one else will say it, I will. In general, we as women tend to do this more often than men. I don’t know why…but we do. Single women want to be married, wives want to be single. Working mothers want to be at home with their children, stay-at-home moms want to go to work. Where does it end? When we start to

become grateful for what we already have, that’s when.  I pulled up an old post that goes perfectly with what I want to share today, in hopes that we ALL work on our attitudes and take on the spirit of gratitude. 

When you’re frustrated because you’re dissatisfied or discontent with where you are in life; all you have to do is “throw your hands up”...not out of your frustration, but out of your thankfulness to the Lord! When we find ourselves getting into that “crabby, cranky mood”(some of us more than others…and YES, that includes Believers too) ;-)…you know, that  mood where we’re grumpy and ungrateful and no one can talk to us, lest they get their head chewed off. It’s during those times when God has a funny way of bringing back to our remembrance ALL the things we should be thankful for in our lives. When this happens, we’ll do one of two things…catch a hissy fit and think the Lord is picking on us or humbly weep before Him with repentance in our heart, knowing that He doesn't even have to communicate with us at all, but He does. He’s not trying to annoy us; He does this out of His mere love for us and to gently nudge us towards that open door of turning our disappointment and discontentment into joy! How you ask; by thanking Him and being grateful for what we already have!

We as women often lack joy because we lack thankfulness. We start thinking about what we wish we had compared to someone else – a better husband(shucks, maybe a husband all together), a newer home or car, well-behaved children, a better job...the list can go on and on - not realizing that WHAT we have is still MUCH better than nothing at all. Look, let’s be realistic here…we’ll never have EVERYTHING we want, when we want it, BUT, we can be content with what we DO have. I’m not saying we should settle for where we are in life, because we’re all aiming for something better; but we SHOULD always be in a “STATE of contentment” while we’re where we are! Just as someone “practices” riding a bike, or playing an instrument, sometimes we must practice being thankful and grateful until it becomes second nature! My husband teaches our congregation that we must WILL ourselves to do the things of God, because it is our human nature to do what comes easiest, and that is to walk in our “stinkin” flesh. You see, being grateful and appreciative is the key to spiritual victory, the doorway to our supernatural success! 

Discontentment is not a result of our circumstances; it is a state of our souls.The Apostle Paul tells us that he has learned to be content in whatever state he’s in! Why…because his contentment was NOT in what he had or where he was in life, but it was in Christ! This is a lesson we must all master, otherwise we’ll keep getting in line to take a ride on the roller coaster that takes us on a gamut of emotions. Whenever you find yourself getting frustrated with where you are in life…STOP, OPEN your mouth and begin to THANK & PRAISE God for every GOOD thing He has already given you and keep thanking Him and watch what He does on your behalf! This is when the doors open for miracles and for the "above all we could ask or think" moments of our lives! 

Psalm 63:1-5, Colossians 3:15, Philippians 4:11-12 

All Rights Reserved copyright© 2012-2013 Michell Pulliam “Prowess and Pearls” Devotionals by Michell Pulliam

Having a blast serving Him !

Xoxoxo

Michell