I Refuse

A stranger comments to me this morning at the gym that I'm just so positive.  After a few minutes of conversation, she couldn't believe that I would find good and hope and joy even in a hard day.  I just smiled and moved on, but I wanted to tell her this:

Complaining is easy.  It's boring and unoriginal.  Negativity is our default state as sinners in need of saving grace.  I refuse it by God's power.

I refuse. 

When you're someone like me--who has battled years of darkness and depression--you simply don't have the luxury of sitting around moping, criticizing, or insulting.

We can become addicted to how good it feels to complain, to sulk, and to be victims.  We begin to think that behavior and mindset is healthy and right and good.  It perhaps makes us feel important or worthwhile to complain.  It perhaps makes us feel self-righteous and good. 

It's the most toxic narrative that runs counter to God's story in our lives.  

What if we refused to complain?  What if, no matter what, we took God at His word in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that we are to "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for [us] in Christ Jesus"?  

I know at least one thing I'm called to do today:  Give thanks in all circumstances.  How could I not?  How could I, after all these years of seeing God's faithfulness and goodness, not?

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Living with flair means giving thanks.  What can you choose to be thankful for that on the surface looks like a disaster?