For many years after I started following Jesus I thought that God’s blessing on my life meant that my life situation would always flow smoothly. Many times it did and I just figured that should be the norm.
If things were chaotic, I found myself complaining about one thing or another, expecting that everyone should see things my way and follow me, thinking that if they did, everything would be fine.
Looking back, I was really more interested in feeding my ego instead of taking up the cross and letting the Lord work in my life. Now I realize that one of the first symptoms of my resistance to Him and what He is doing is when I hear myself complaining. It is astonishing to me how quickly one little grievance can open up the floodgate of finding a host of other things to complain about.
However, if I have a heart of thanksgiving and gratefulness, all of the ill-tempered attitude is nipped in the bud. By embracing things as they happen and seeing them as opportunities to grow in my knowledge of God, I am able to find peace in every circumstance because I’m aware of His presence. With that assurance, nothing is too difficult for me.