This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.
It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.
In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.
We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.
Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.
In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.
Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here:
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/
On this day and every day –
God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up
Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.
“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Grumpy Christians
Grumpiness characterizes some of our personality types more than it does others. Some of us are born with sunny dispositions and always see the glass half full. Others seem to be grumpy from birth, seeing every glass nearly empty—and who drank it anyway? Unfortunately, even after some of us grumps become Christians, we bring our grumpiness with us. Since we’ve always been this way, we often believe grumpiness is an integral part of who we are rather than a flaw that needs to be changed. Other Christians may have been happy earlier in life but find ourselves being grumpier as we get older. Reasons for grumpiness vary, but life does take its toll. For those who recognize that perpetual grumpiness is at odds with the joy of the Lord (Acts 13:52; Galatians 5:22; Romans 14:17), there are some practical steps to change their attitude:
1. Recognize that continual grumpiness is sin. Consider negative personality traits to be like barnacles on the hull of a boat. Barnacles are the bane of boat owners because the little crustaceans cluster by the thousands, increasing drag and decreasing a boat’s fuel efficiency. Barnacles are also notoriously difficult to remove. Sins of the personality, such as grumpiness, are like that. They attach themselves to our lives, weighing us down and keeping us from experiencing all that it means to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25). The grumpy Christian needs to resist shrugging off the problem by saying things like, “That’s how I’ve always been” or “It’s too difficult to change.” Jesus paid too high a price to free us from our old ways for us to choose to remain enslaved (Romans 6:1–4).
2. Confess grumpiness as sin every time it manifests itself (1 John 1:9). Grumpiness becomes a habit that others see more readily than we do; many grumpy Christians don’t even realize when they’re being grumpy. In order to overcome a grumpy mood, we must agree with God about it. Jesus was never grumpy or cross, despite all that He faced and the cross that He bore (see Luke 10:21). Neither does grumpiness belong in the life of His followers (Romans 8:29). When we begin taking note of the way we respond to certain situations, we can become aware of how we come across to others. If we develop the habit of confessing grumpiness as sin every time we notice it, we become even more sensitive to it, and we can ask God for help in changing our old ways.
3. Thank the Lord for every good gift He has given us (James 1:17). A grateful heart is a happy heart. Grumpiness and thanksgiving cannot co-exist. Choose to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Perpetually grumpy people are so focused on what is not right that they overlook what is right. A grumpy Christian may be helped by starting a thankfulness journal. In the journal, record one thing each day that you can be grateful for. Then, when grumpiness sets in, change your focus by reading the journal and reminding yourself of God’s unending goodness.
4. Take a breather. When you find yourself getting grumpy, take a break. Even if it’s just for a few seconds, giving yourself time to step back and reevaluate things is helpful. If you have the time, spend your break praying, reading the Bible, or listening to worshipful music that uplifts Christ. Eat a healthy snack. Find a mirror and check your facial expression. Smile.
5. Identify the areas that contribute to grumpiness. Find the source of the grumpiness, and we can more directly deal with it. Often, grumpy people are attracted to information and people who encourage their grumpiness. They feast on negative news, seek the company of negative people, and listen to discouraging music. Overcoming an attitude of negativity requires that we stop feeding it. We have the responsibility to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23). It helps to filter all entertainment and outside information through this sentence: “Does this lift up my heart in praise to God or pull it down into anger and depression?”
A Christian prone to grumpiness can handle it in the same way we overcome any negative trait. We recognize it as sin, ask God’s help in changing, and take action to create a new normal. The reward is a happier outlook, a closer relationship with God, and spiritual growth that will benefit everyone around us. https://www.gotquestions.org/grumpy-Christian.html
As it is known to those around us that we are Christians, and it should be known to those around us, then for good or for bad our actions will generally be viewed as common to Christians.
. . . let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:16
. . . set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12
In everything set them an example by doing what is good. – Titus 2:7
We definitely don’t want our candle to be blotted out by a thick gray cloud of grump. Much better for our joy to shine forth to all as a beacon that would help guide a lost traveler to the path of truth.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be evident to all.
The Lord is near.
MARANATHA!