Circus Ingrate

Last spring, we took Josh and the girls to the circus. Being the cheap parents we are, we did not let him ride the elephant or have a toy. He was mad and ungrateful so he said ugly things. I got very angry at his ungratefulness and in return offered a harsh scolding.
That night as I went in to do dishes, the anger slapped me in the face. I realized that God had provided us with a small house that allowed us to grow closer together, pay our bills, have cheaper bills to pay, and a job that allowed James to work on his masters and help pay for it. Josh and Kobi have wonderful teachers, we all have great friends and our extended family is well and supportive. I am blessed and I realized how my unhappiness probably made God very angry at my ungratefulness. This made me feel sad but at peace with our situation. The next day we received news that a new project we were working on was not going to work out. Instead of feeling let down as anticipated, the peace from the day before continued and comforted me. I am extremely grateful for all of my blessings and the slaps from life that reminds me of them.

How can my ungrateful heart make God angry? Ungratefulness is not found in the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22. Instead, it is mentioned in the ungodly list of 2 Timothy 3:2-5. “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”
Ouch! That is harsh! My wee little sin is in really bad company! The question to myself is, “do I have a form of godliness but deny God’s power?” Am I replacing my faith in God’s power with my selfishness for demanding more? The problem lies in my reception of God’s answer to my desires. He has answered my demands for more by revealing the blessings I already have.
I know He will grant me more or different blessing when it is time for them. Colossians 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” In those moments of ‘gotta have something now’, I have to be patient, pray and have a thankful attitude for whatever happens. Through the Spirit, He gives me peace to accept the answers I have not yet received.
I know I have a hard time when my kids are ungrateful, I really don’t want to seem that way to God.