"Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God." Colossians 3:20-22 NKJVSo the verses were pretty straightforward. And when I got to the Application part of the process I wanted to try and take it a step past "Obey my parents" (though I am not saying that it isn't important, besides, obeying your parents is the first command with a promise). So I focused on the last verse about the bondservants (or slaves).
Clearly, I am not a slave, so I had to really think to make its apply to my life. I am (kind of) an employee, but I don't work as often now that I am in school. So I replaced "bondservant" with my role as a student. I should aim to please all my masters, or in this case, professors, with all that I do (turning in my work on time, showing up on time, not texting in class, so on and so forth). But the very last part is where God pretty much slapped me in the face.
I am to do all those things with "sincerity of heart". Because of my fear and love of Him, I should be obeying them. I should also be doing it because God gave me this opportunity to get back into school and here I am complaining about it. Complaining about lack of sleep, complaining about waking up for 8am classes, complaining about work load, and the list goes on. God was pretty much like, why don't you try being thankful for other things and not focus on the negative so much.
Part of me wanted to be stubborn, He just so happened to do this on Nov 1, the month of "thankfulness" and He knows I have been so dreading this month because of a certain holiday (those super close to me would understand why, but that's another story for another post).
So I'm like "really God? You gotta do this now?" but why not now. I got to put my pride and my emotions away and just listen to Him, and that is what I did.
And He wasted no time putting me to the test first thing this morning. I had an 8am class and instead of complaining about getting up, I was thankful that 1) I even woke up 2) that I have the opportunity to go to class when I could still be miserable and out of school 3) that I can actually walk to class and so on and so forth. And I have had to do that about three times this morning already (and it's not even noon yet).
I did not realize how much I complained until now I have been challenged to change my thoughts. I am appalled at how often I have caught myself in just the few hours I have been awake. I at first told myself that I was going to make this a week long challenge, but I have a feeling it is going to take longer than a week to break this habit. So I will continue to do this until thankfulness just comes naturally and the complaining subsides.
I hope that you are not in the same boat I am with complaining, but if you are, I pray that you can take the same challenge so that whenever you find yourself complaining, look for things to be thankful for instead. You too may be surprised at how much better you will feel :)
God bless,
Tiffany <3
