Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
It had been one of those days. One of those days that nothing seems to be going right -- and even the things that are going right are clouded by the things that aren't. When I walk in the door and feel like doing nothing whatsoever -- much less smiling and talking cheerfully.
But of course, I work in jobs that require smiling and talking cheerfully. It's kind of important, when you are serving others, to do so pleasantly and politely. And yet, as I smiled, I did not feel like smiling. On the outside I had a positive attitude, but I did not smile on the inside.
It was becoming harder and harder to smile with a frown on my heart; harder to respond patiently to my customers as my heart grumbled.
And the Good Lord touched my shoulder and said... "What are you doing?"
"But God," I complained, "I'm having a rough day. I deserve to be grumpy!" Even as I said those words in my heart, I knew it wasn't right.
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:14-15
Aren't you glad we have a God who forgives the grumbling of our hearts?
Instead of letting my heart grumble, I began to sing praise songs under my breath (in between customers, of course!). Instead of hanging onto my pity party, I let His peace flood my heart. Instead of dwelling on the negative things weighing down my mind, I set my "mind on things above" (Colossians 3:2).
And you know something? My day suddenly started looking up. By the evening I was tired but not depressed, weary but not weighed down. Just one more day of learning to dance with God.
He chooses the music and leads the dance, and it's up to us to take His hand and dance with Him in our hearts.
Shall we dance?
