In her column, Ask Marilyn, Marilyn vos Savant gave an interesting perspective on contentment. One reader wrote in about a unique experiment she had conducted after being dissatisfied that her neighbor’s yard looked better than her own. She did what few have done and walked next door to look back at her own grass. When she stood in her neighbor’s yard, the grass in her own yard now looked greener than theirs so she asked, “Why does this occur?”
Marilyn replied, “The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence because you’re not close enough to see the dirt.” Most of the time, things look better for others simply because we can’t see their dirt. (Source: Parade, September 14, 2003)
Ingratitude will find its bloom in the heart of a dissatisfied view. We can be so overtaken with what we perceive others have that we miss our own manifold blessings! We must set our gaze on what we already have in God!
REVIEW FROM LAST WEEK: 1. True gratitude is seen as we focus on the sovereignty of God.
2. True gratitude is seen in submission to God’s sovereign purpose
David wanted to build the temple and God said “No.” This answer is especially crushing because David wanted to do the right thing.
He didn’t want something for himself!
He didn’t ask for a higher salary
He didn’t ask for a new throne room for the palace
David wanted to build a house for God. The text seems to indicate honorable motives; however, God says no. Yes, God surrounds this denied request in a wonderful promise, but nonetheless, this request is denied. We can also learn from what David didn’t do!
David didn’t nurse his disappointment into depression
David didn’t react with anger: “See if I do anything again!”
David didn’t self-medicate with food, alcohol, drugs, gambling, or women to comfort his hurt feelings.
DAVID WORSHIPED GOD! He submitted to God’s sovereign purpose (7:18-22). He was willing to be used however God wanted to use him (7:25-26, 29). Easier said than done, right? I mean, we all want to have the attitude of gratitude, but when disappointments come, we struggle! Here’s the key – the key is David’s view of God…and himself!
à 8 times in II Samuel 7 David calls God, “O Lord God.” This is Adonai Yahweh in the Hebrew. Adonai means “God is master or Lord.” Yahweh is the proper name of God. Adonai is seen in the Hebrew with a personal pronoun – thus David personalizes his response with “My Lord.” (7:18, 19 [twice], 20, 22, 25, 28, 29).
David lifts up God’s greatness several times (7:22, 26-27)
David lifts up God’s choice of Israel as His people (7:23-24)
10 Times David refers to himself not as King, but as “Your servant” (7:19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27 [twice], 28, & 29 [twice]).
Because David saw God as THE God of the universe and himself as a mere servant, he was able to submit AND be thankful – even though God’s plans were not his plans. The real test of a thankful heart is when God says no to your plans…and that is possible when you see God as He is and yourself as you truly are – God is GOD and we are His servants.
3. True gratitude is overwhelmed by God’s grace
A little boy was sitting on a park bench in obvious pain. A man walking by asked him what was wrong. The young boy said, "I'm sitting on a bumble bee." The man urgently asked, "Then why don't you get up?" The boy replied, "Because I figure I'm hurting him more than he is hurting me!"
How many of us handle life’s problems like this little boy? We endure pain for the sadistic satisfaction of believing we are hurting our offender more than he is hurting us. When we get off the bench of unforgiveness both parties can begin to realize relief from their pain. (Source: Kent Crockett, 911 Handbook, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997, p.43)
Get off the bench of selfishness…Get off the bench of pride…Get off the bench of strong will – and yield to the unlimited God! This is where you will find a thankful heart!!
Nathan delivers God’s plan for David. David is blown away. David goes into the tabernacle, sits down, and prays (7:18). This is an unusual occasion, if not the only time in the Bible, that a man sits down to pray to God in the Bible. David is so overwhelmed that he sits down to pray
Have you ever been “overwhelmed?” I have. When my brother’s cancer returned…I was overwhelmed. When each of my children were born, I was overwhelmed. When my wife shows me love, especially at the times I am not very lovable, I am overwhelmed! Look at David’s response as he begins to pray to God, “Who am I?” (7:18) God’s grace! Grace, simply stated, is unmerited favor. David is saying, “I don’t deserve this!”
“Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines Him to bestow benefits upon the undeserving. Its use to us sinful men is to save us and make us sit together in heavenly places to demonstrate to the ages the exceeding riches of God’s kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” —A. W. Tozer
We tend to find what we are looking for. A vulture flies over the desert and only sees dead meat. A hummingbird flies over the same desert and only finds the colorful blooms of desert plants. The vulture will live on what was. The hummingbird lives on what is.
What are you looking for? The past? The “only ifs” that never even happened? Or, are you looking for and enjoying what is truly in your reach — a genuine RELATIONSHIP with GOD!
Looking for a thankful heart? Develop that relationship with God!
1. Focus on the sovereignty of God.
2. Submit to God’s sovereign purpose.
3. Overwhelm your mind with the understanding of God’s grace.
Choose to set your gaze on what you already have in and through God!