How to get rid of the mumble-y grumble-ies..

Last week some things just hadn’t been going as smoothly as we/I had planned.  The last straw came when, instead of adding TO our savings account, we ended up having to withdraw FROM our savings account.  While I am normally an optimistic person who has been a lover of the Word long enough to know the Truth, and while I normally don’t too often struggle with fear, worry and anxiety, sometimes, when I least expect it…WHAM!  So, I found myself mumbling, grumbling, murmuring, and complaining to God about the sad state of my current affairs.  The next morning I woke up with God’s voice speaking to my spirit. “Are you saying that I am not a good Father and that I don’t take good care of you?”  Divine perspective…that’s what I needed.  I do take comfort in the fact that David, the man after God’s own heart, began many of his psalms complaining to God.  Then he would remember God’s greatness and His faithfulness and His great works in times past, and by the end of that same psalm, David had gotten some divine perspective and he ends the psalm praising God. 

Here’s some things that helped me get back my divine perspective and chase away the mumble-y grumble-ies this week…

The Word of God –  The supernatural Word really works!  It corrects, it comforts, it heals, it deals, it delivers.  It reminds me of Who He is and What He can do.  It causes Him to be magnified in my eyes and my troubles to seem smaller.

Think about how much worse things could be – Seriously! For example: In the windstorm this week a huge branch fell off a tree and crunched the roof and trunk of our car.  The branch could have fallen on one of us.  The whole tree could have fallen onto our house.

Think of what to thank God for in the situation – Thank God we have good insurance.  The car repairs are only costing us $50, plus we have rental car provision.

Think of someone else – Every time I do minister to someone else when I’m feeling out of sorts, it ministers to me. Write an encouraging note, call and pray for a discouraged friend, help someone in need.

Take a beauty break – No not a spa treatment, though that may not be a bad idea!  During hard times, especially if the difficult season is a long one, our spirit can become wounded and malnourished.  Beauty ministers to and nurtures our spirit…the beauty of God and His great love as well as the love and kindness and caring of others, but the beauty in nature or in music and art ministers to our spirit as well.  God created beauty for us.  Take a walk in the outdoors, watch the sunset, go for a drive in the country, listen to your favorite composer, go to the museum, look for a place with a view and go and sit a while.  Sit and soak the beauty into your spirit.

And of course, everyday take notice of and write down things you are grateful for…

gratitude list #341-351

-good insurance to cover car damage and rental car

-my youngest daughter (her phone calls, texts, facebook chats, her first birthday away from family but with lots of friends to enjoy it with)

-a call from a friend right when I needed it

-Phillipians 4:6-8 right when I needed it!

-being used by God to encourage others even when I needed encouraged

-knowing God directed the topic as I prepared to teach Bible Study

-ordered steps – God’s help prioritizing a busy day

-an evening with all three grandbabies

-an evening of fun, food, games and laughter with friends

-boys (my grandson) in trees and girls (my granddaughter) with flowers

Gratefully yours,

Elizabeth