“Burden or Blessing—You Choose!
“As leaders, parents, and spouses sometimes we have to know what others don’t know, do what others won’t do, and see what others can’t see.” This can at times become a “silent burden”.
I use the word “burden” loosely. However, it starts with the same syllable as “blessing” and I think it’s a good word picture to describe what I am trying to illustrate.
Again, I’m talking about “Blessing or Burden You Choose!”
You have probably heard me say this many times— “don’t allow a blessing to become a burden.” However, for this not to happen, you must be intentional and continually mindful—you also must become more grateful!
You’ve all heard the phrase “The honeymoon wore off.” This phrase describes the excitement of something new beginning to fade, and familiarity taking its place. That’s when gratitude must become a choice.
When this happens you must become intentional about recognizing the value of what you have before familiarity causes you to overlook it.
Gratitude teaches us to see ordinary blessings with fresh eyes and to appreciate again what we may have stopped noticing.
That’s when “gratitude has to become intentional.” When this happens you move from the feeling of gratitude to the practice of gratitude.
And “When the honeymoon wears off, you must become intentional about being grateful.” Being grateful about what you already have.
That’s because it is so easy to take the everyday things for granted! The blessings that surround us every day become commonplace and we forget to be grateful for them.
The following could be substituted for many areas of our lives, but these scenarios below are simple, yet practical areas that help illustrate my point.
Think about this . . .
We complain about traffic (traffic circles) because we have a car.
We complain about laundry because we have clothes.
We complain about doing the dishes because we ate.
We complain about cutting the grass because we have property.
We complain about packing because we get to travel.
We complain about taxes because we earned.
We complain about our job because we have one.
We complain about a full inbox because people need us and we have problems that only we can solve.
We complain about noise because we have a family and friends.
We complain about exercise because our bodies move.
We complain about wrinkles because we have lived.
We complain about gray hair because we have made it this far.
We complain about change because we are growing.
It is all a matter of perspective, and changing your perspective can help produce gratefulness and gratefulness can in turn cause you to see things differently!
What if instead of complaining about traffic (traffic circles)—we were grateful that we have a car.
What if instead of complaining about laundry—we were grateful we have clothes.
What if instead of complaining about doing the dishes—we were grateful because we ate.
What if instead of complaining about cutting the grass—we were grateful because we have property.
What if instead of complaining about packing—we were grateful because we get to travel.
What if instead of complaining about taxes—we were grateful because we have earned.
What if instead of complaining about our job—we were grateful because we have one.
What if instead of complaining about a full inbox—we were grateful because people need us and we have problems to solve.
What if instead of complaining about noise—we were grateful because we have a family and friends.
What if instead of complaining about exercise—we were grateful because our bodies move.
What if instead of complaining about wrinkles—we were grateful because we have lived.
What if instead of complaining about gray hair—we were grateful because we have made it this far.
What if instead of complaining about change—we were grateful because we are growing.
Psalm 103:2—“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
David is essentially telling himself, Don’t forget what God has done. Gratitude requires intentional remembrance.
1 Thessalonians 5:18—“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
This takes gratitude beyond a feeling and into a practice. “Giving thanks and being grateful” is an intentional action.
Being grateful is a matter of perspective—changing your perspective will help produce gratefulness and gratefulness will in time cause you to see things differently!
Blessing or a Burden—You Choose!