As a kid, I liked to watch the movie Pollyanna. In case you haven't seen it, it's about a little girl whose missionary parents died and has to go and live with her aunt, a rich, stern woman who pretty much runs things in her small town. Pollyanna likes to play "the glad game", which means that in every situation, she looks for what she can be glad about. Slowly, her viewpoint affects the people around her and changes them, including her aunt, despite the fact that at first many of them were irritated by her insistance on seeing the good in every situation.
I don't know about you, but I would definitely be one of the annoyed people. Misery loves company, after all, and the last thing you want when you are frusterated about something is someone telling you how you can be glad about it. The thing is, Pollyanna's viewpoint is a very Biblical one. There are countless verses in Scripture about being thankful, rejoicing in every situation, being content, and praising God in negative situations.
I'm sorry to admit, that isn't my natural inclination. This morning had a rough beginning, and it would be easy to let that color my day, but today, I want to take my cue from Pollyanna, and God, and play the glad game. SO here goes....
Even though I had to get up at 6:45 am, I can be glad that I wasn't up at five am.
Even though Izzy screamed at me because he was still tired (not that he'd ever admit it) and couldn't handle the fact that I couldn't drop everything immediately to help him find his blankie, I can be glad that he is healthy, and wasn't screaming because he was hurt somehow.
Even though Aaron had to go to work today, and had to work this past weekend too, I can be glad that he has a job to go to, that because he works, I don't have to. I can be glad that I even have a husband, and that I still miss him when he leaves.
Even though Malachi threw a mini-fit because I made him eggs for breakfast when he wanted goldfish crackers, I guess I can just be glad that we have food, and that we can have a choice between eggs and goldfish crackers.
I can be glad that we are all safe, that we are all well, and that we have each other.
Most of all, no matter what else happens, I should always be glad that I have salvation in Christ, because no matter how bad things might seem, I know without a doubt, that without Him, it would be a lot worse. Without Him, I would not have life, I would be an empty shell of a human being, and I would be miserable. So I rejoice in Him, and in my salvation. I rejoice in the love of God, and the peace that comes from finding satisfaction and completion in Him.
And lastly, I'm glad that I played the glad game.
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