What Makes the Grumpy Tick?

Psalm 50:22-23 "Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"

Have you ever been around a true grump? Someone who not matter what happens can always find something bad, or something to criticize. I guess we all have. I personally do not appreciate being in their presence, especially when they use their special talents on me. I use to have a variety of thoughts towards them. Such as anger, resentment, fear, and even bewilderment. Until recently I rarely had feelings of compassion or sympathy. I always categorized them as mean, selfish people to be avoided.

But, I realized that the grumpiness was just a surface symptom of a deeper heart problem. The reason for this lack of joy in their lives certainly can be many, I believe one of the biggest failings is a lack of thankfulness, and truly thankful towards God. I must admit that as I bemoan and dread another Northwest Indiana winter with snow, I realize my depression may come in part to the discomfort and inconvenience, but really comes from being unthankful.

It seems that if we are not thankful for anyone, thing or event in our lives we usually hate, fear, or neglect the subject. The absence of thankfulness in a Christian's life becomes an ugly sore upon their character and testimony. The very joy of the Lord that the forgiven ones in Christ are suppose to show is choked off like a weed to a flower. The ability to show a lifestyle and commitment to the Savior, and Creator of this world is futile and frustrating without a thankful spirit.

To sum this up the grumpy critic that we all avoid will never experience true joy unless they become thankful. Thankful not just for the pleasant, but for the unpleasant. Which then brings the focus back to us. How thankful are we? Not just at Thanksgiving, but on January 23rd or March 16th or any other day of the year.

True Christian joy is born out of thankfulness, and can not exist without it.