Grumpy Christians Not Allowed

Some things just don’t go together. They don’t make sense. I came across these funny terms that really shouldn’t make sense, but we use them anyway:

Found Missing
Same Difference
Threadless Screws
Jumbo Shrimp
Stand Down
Self-Help Group
Silent Alarm
Microsoft Works
Plastic Glasses
Tragic Comedy
Exact Estimate

Here are some phrases that really don’t go together…

I cannot tolerate intolerance
I am sorry but I never apologize
Cheap is more expensive
12oz Pound Cake
Click the start button, and shut down (for you Microsoft users)
Alone in a crowd
Always remember you’re unique…just like everyone else

Truly there are some things that are oxymorons, they completely contradict themselves. Nothing is more contradictory though than a grumpy Christian. I am not sure there could be a more conflicting idea. As followers of Christ, we have eternal hope because of Jesus. We have unconditional love from the Creator of the Universe, that’s something that overrides any earthly struggle.

1 Peter 1:3-6 (NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

We have a living hope, that should put a pep in our step. Christians should be the most enthusiastic people on the planet. In fact, the word enthususim comes from the Greek words en meaning within, and Theos meaning God. Enthusiasm only comes from being within God. Nineteenth century English minister and professor Charles Kingsley said, “The men whom I have seen succeed best in life have always been cheerful and hopeful men, who went about their business with a smile on their faces, and took the changes and chances of this mortal life like men, facing rough and smooth alike as it came.”

Your attitude is the rudder of your well being. You can never choose all that happens to you, but you can always choose what happens in you. No one and no thing can make you miserable without your allowance. The word S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D is just D-E-S-S-E-R-T-S spelled backwards. When you change your perspective, you change the meaning. Stop complaining about what you don’t have and start thanking God for what you do have. Praise God for His provision instead of grumbling about your lack. When you change your attitude to one of gratitude, you will always see the blessings around you. Misery cannot manifest in a heart full of joy. Jesus came to bring us joy that is literally out of this world.

John 10:10 (NKJV)

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Jesus said that He came to bring us life, but not just life, life more abundantly. There is a big difference between life and abundant life. Life is simply surviving, where as abundant life is thriving. So what side of the comma do you live from? Do you live on the left side of the comma and just have life? Or do you live on the right side of the comma and have abundant life? Hellen Keller said, “Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” Living successfully is a choice you make and that choice will determine how far you’ll go. It takes 72 muscles to frown and only 23 to smile. So always remember, you exert more energy to be upset than you do to be happy.