Yesterday at church our Pastor talked about the subject of negativity, focusing on a passage in Numbers 11 when the Israelites were grumbling about the food God was graciously providing for them. Their needs were met, but it wasn’t what they wanted. It didn’t matter how many provisions God had clearly made, they complained about them, failing to see the tremendous blessing of being taken care of.

I don’t think of myself as a negative person, generally, but when he started to dissect the concept of it, it became clear how engrained it is in our society and quite often our hearts – at least mine – to grumble. To compare. To throw a fit when we don’t get our way. It stings to even have to admit that, but how often do I make comments about the weather being crappy when it’s not sunshiny, the way I want it to be? Or about having so much to do all the time? Or about things being expensive? Or about the hassle of yard work? Etc, etc. You get the idea. (Feel free to let me know I’m not alone, here….)

He defined negativity as this: Faithless, loveless, destructive words about people or situations that don’t advance God’s purposes.

Ouch. It’s one thing to be able to be honest with God about our disappointments and struggles – and I’m ALL about that. But when I fail to see the blessings around me and choose to complain about all the things I wish were different, I’m being faithless, loveless, destructive. I’m essentially standing in opposition to God’s purposes. I’m saying, “Thanks, but no thanks. That’s not what or how I want it. Try again, God. ” Whether that’s about the weather for the day, or unexpected glitches in my schedule, or relationships….the response is equally important.

Reading my way through 1000 Gifts has been so helpful and convicting on this subject, but yesterday’s message was another needed reminder. Negativity, ungratefulness and discontentment won’t just go away on their own. We won’t just wake up one day and not struggle with them. We have to actively battle the desire to let them seep into our hearts, minds and flow out with our words. And the only thing that can combat them is gratefulness. Looking back on the ways God has come through, the ways He is blessing me, today. I want to be so much better at that. I want it to become second nature.

So here’s to the battle. Here’s to today. In all of it’s imperfection, it’s full of blessing. And most importantly, it’s THE day that God has given me. It’s the place in life that I’m supposed to be right here, right now. And wishing that away doesn’t change it, so I choose to embrace it. I choose to see how good it really is. I choose to speak positivity, gratefulness and joy. Because tomorrow it will be gone, and something new will be here. I never want to be guilty of wishing a season away only to look back and realize that I wasted the time I was given to embrace it, grow in it, and be blessed because of it.

“What you do today, can improve all your tomorrows.” – Ralph Marston