Give thanks in all circumstances.
—1 Thessalonians 5:18
He was just a small child, but when he bumped into me I had a full glass of water and got drenched.
There’s a disposition lesson here: if you have a full glass of bitterness, anger, and complaint, it won’t take much of a bump for you to get soaked.
Paul challenged the Colossians to be strengthened in faith, “overflowing with thankfulness” (Col 2:7). When faith is strong, bitterness is defeated by contentment, anger by serenity, and complaining by thankfulness.
Get a grip on gratitude. It shifts the disposition from grousing and grumbling to God and grace.
If you’re nursing self-pity about the bad stuff in your life, a wide-awake awareness of the good stuff in your life will change your outlook to thankfulness.
Balance “Why me?” in the face of your adversities
with “Why me?” in the face of your blessings.