My 2022 New Year's resolution has been to acknowledge God's blessings in my life, and to continually give God recognition and thanks. I've found that when I focus on my blessings, my discontentments and disappointments have been diminished, or have been rendered insignificant.

Last month, shortly after turning 72, I came across an historic life expectancy chart that both surprised and helped me. It showed that prior to the sweeping public health advancements of the 19th century (clean drinking water, sterilization, sewage systems, and medical advancements), the average life expectancy was a meagre 35 years of age!

That average lifespan of only 35 years prior to the 19th century covers most of our human existence. One could say that, at 72, I have lived the equivalent of two life spans, and I'm now working on my third life!

Not only have I had the blessing of living twice as long as most people previously did, the quality of my life has been a vast improvement over other times that I might have been born into. In 1665, the London philosopher, Thomas Hobbs, famously described British life as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short".

Blessed even as Christians, we often nurse our complaints about our living condition, our health, or our financial woes, typically based relative to the condition of others we know.

But what right do I, who have lived two average lifetimes (and great ones at that!), have to complain about what usually amount to not much more than minor life discomforts or inconveniences?

How can I complain about my hearing not being as good as it was 20 years ago, or about my not-as-sharp memory, or about possibly not living to see my great-grandchildren, if indeed, I've been blessed with two lives?

In fact, entering my "third life", what could I legitimately complain about at all? About what aspect of our life do we really have the right to complain? Besides, Moses made it clear that because our loving God arranges our lives for our good and His glory, complaining about our lives is grumbling against God:

Exodus 16:8b – The Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord. (NKJV)

1 Samuel 12:24 – Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. (ESV)

Luke 6:38a – Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. (NIV)

John 10:10b – I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (NRSV)

Prayer: Loving God, we have been the recipients of much to be grateful for. Allow us to dwell on the riches of Your generosity toward us, such that our complaining may cease, that we may see only the myriad of ways in which You want to bless us, and that we may be grateful. Amen.

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About the author:

Rick Potter <rpotte@hotmail.com>
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
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