Complaining About Our Blessings

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On Tuesday I had responsibilities as a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a member of our church, and a writer for Notgrass Company — not just in general, but specific things to do in all of those roles. I was out the door before 8:00 a.m. and got to bed about 1:00 a.m. It was just one of those days when beloved duty called out to me from all of those directions.

I enjoyed the responsibilities in each of those roles very much and had sweet moments with each of the loved ones who needed something from me and whom I wanted very much to bless. However, as you can imagine, at the end of the day I was beyond beat.

I confess that I had more than a few times on Tuesday when I was none too cheerful. While each of the roles I lived in that day had bright moments, I also had moments when — I hate to admit it — I complained.

God was kind to give me two gentle prods toward gratitude and humility yesterday morning. First, when I checked my morning email, I read about the most recent happenings in the life of my friend’s son who is still making slow and painful progress (with sacrificial help from his mama and daddy) from his motorcycle accident over a year ago. Later, one of the ladies in our Wednesday morning ladies’ Bible class told us about a mutual friend who is taking amazing care of her very ill husband, as she has been for months and months now.

Shame on me. I have a husband and children and grandchildren and a mother and a brother and friends and a church family and work I love beyond what I can express. Many years ago when I was a young mother in Oxford, Mississippi, a missionary wife spoke to the ladies of our congregation about complaining and blessings. She said that what we complain about are actually our blessings. Her words are true. I complained about blessings on Tuesday.

Yesterday was a new day for me, albeit a sleepy one. God is kind to give us those new days. This is what I needed to remember on Tuesday.

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved,
put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other,
whoever has a complaint against anyone;
just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
Colossians 3:12-14

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