Gas Pump Blues

With the constant rise in gas prices it's totally got me thinking... could I go a week without complaining about them??? Could I even go a day?

Philippians 2:14-15
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe

How often do I hear that verse that think- "Yeah, that's good and all" but totally NOT apply it to my everyday life??

There is always going to be things in this world that we won't like. There will always be things that are completely out of our control. Rising gas prices are one of them. I struggle with this because you are reminded of them daily, as you are out driving around, but the thing is, I can't do anything about it-- I can't control the price. But somehow over the last few weeks and months, gasoline, and all the negativity surrounding the rising prices, have been controlling me. Negativity has really started having a grip on my attitude, and I've started to notice. So while I can't control the prices, I CAN control the way I react to them and my attitude towards it all.

I'm not saying that I'm going to be happy about the fact that I just spent another dollar or two at the pump, but I am going to TRY to stop thinking about it all the time, stop complaining constantly to my friends, and stop dwelling on it and letting the negativity drag me down. After all, in the grand picture of life it isn't really that big of deal-- and eternally what does it effect? God has given us sooo much to be thankful for in life and to be joyful about, and to let the price of gasoline make us depressed is almost laughable in the face of all those blessings. I want to be a person of eternal joy, focused on the things above, not a person of doom and gloom only focused on all the negative things that are going on in the sinful world around me.

So... the next time you hear me complaining about the pump... just give me a good poke. I could definitely use it.