Frustrations and Convictions (conversations with a 5 year old)

I've been a tired and discouraged momma today with a complaining heart.

Complaining that I don't get enough grown up interaction.

Complaining that I have to mop- again.

Complaining that my two year old whines (he's two!).

Complaining about my weight.

You name it - Satan was winning. Was.

Later, I was talking to Reagan about obedience and she asked me why it's so hard to obey when she doesn't feel good. I quickly ran to the Bible and read her James- consider it Joy...

We then talked at great length about all we have to be thankful for...that our trials are so small compared to starving children and orphans and homeless....

I explained to her that God expects obedience not only when it's easy, but the true test of our love for him is when things get hard.

She prayed through tears (still confused about why God let her get an earache) and thanked God for her earache. She said "even though you know I hate it, you have a reason." She even said "I don't know why you gave me this trial earache and I cant even swim with my cousins". She asked God to teach her obedience in every trial. And at the end she threw in, "And God, if you're not in my heart like you are in Papa's heart, come on in. It's fine". (she must think everyone else is lost...)

Sniff. It was sweet.

I was convicted- that I have a "poor me" attitude way too often, when I should be praising my Savior for life and breath and too many other things to list! But I complain... again and again...

Anyway- when we are tempted to complain- we should heed James 1 and consider it Joy when we encounter trials of many kinds so that we may become more steadfast and persevere and LACK NOTHING! Want to be happy and lack nothing? I do! That's what everyone wants! We need to show them where to find it. Lasting hope.

There is a more important reason, though, to pay attention to the words in James 1...

What a chance we have on Facebook and other social venues to either be an encouragement and a light as opposed to a dreadful energy taker who complains and ruins the name of Christ. People who are lost see how we act or what we post and think we are a bunch of hypocrites with just another meeting or two or three to attend every week. They see nothing different about us.

Lord, help us not drag your name through the mud and muck with us when we complain for the world to hear- fully clothed, with full bellies, from our nice phone with Internet...in the air conditioning.

Lord please allow our stupidity as believers to somehow be removed from the eyes of the unbeliever so that they may see You. The greatest treasure and hope of all.

Shame on me. Shame on us. Shame.

Please, I beg, for the sake of Christ, SPEAK LIFE. SPEAK HOPE. SPEAK JOY.