Grumptitude

​What is grumptitude, you ask?  Essentially, it is the quality or feeling of being grumpy or unthankful. Whereas people with gratitude look for things for which to be thankful, those with grumptitude prefer to live in a prickly state of dissatisfaction.  Their lousy attitude has several consequences.  First, who wants to spend time with them? Their negativity makes life miserable.  Second, their philosophy is built upon an underlying conviction for fault-finding or gloom globbing. If the sun is shining, it is sure to rain. If it is raining, expect a flood. If it floods, count on losing everything. If everything is lost, it’s because life is stacked against them. Do you get the picture?  ​

Meditation
Psalm 106:24,25--They despised the pleasant land and did not believe His promise. They grumbled in their tents and did not listen to the Lord’s voice.
 
God took the Israelites from bondage in Egypt and promised to bless them in Canaan. Despite unprecedented spectacular miracles, 24/7 protection, and stellar leadership from Moses, they refused to trust God, preferring to wallow in a perpetual state of grumptitude. 
            
You probably have encountered people who describe themselves as Christians.  But they do not radiate the saving light of grace. Instead, they exude a critical spirit toward anything that disagrees with their negative narrative. They are masters of sarcasm, black belts in blaming, connoisseurs of denigration, and stubbornly resolved that those who live joyfully are brain-dead. They do much to hurt the cause of Christ, for their complaining is a turn-off and does not reflect what it means to be transformed by the Messiah. In Brave, Strong & Tender, Phil Downer wrote, “Grumbling, negative words take away the power of God from our lives.” 
            
Paul wrote the Galatians, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Gal. 5:22,23). Grumpiness is not a fruit of the Spirit. It is the fruit of man’s nature that stinks. Peter wrote, “You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8,9).  

Those who follow Christ walk in a faith that exudes joyfulness. Their eyes are not focused on problems but on the Problem-Solver. Where we fix our eyes speaks volumes about our hearts. Something to think about . . . in reveration!
 
Inspiration
 “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.”—Alphonse Karr  
“The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.”—Henry Ward Beecher

©2023 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you want to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)