By Craig Manners
21st August 2023
As the progressive mind virus, spreading life-destroying “grievance thinking,” among many other destructive elements, continues throughout western nations, it is helpful to know there is a vaccine available!
God has much to say in the Bible regarding contentment. He makes it clear we will have better lives if we work at being content with our lot.
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
“Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15).
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:12-13)
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
So much of our modern world is geared toward breeding discontentment, self-pity, victimhood, grievance thinking, and resentment in us. It is obvious that these things never bring any happiness, satisfaction or peace. So, why do we bother with them? Why would we want to live that way?
I don’t know for sure, but it would most certainly have something to do with our fallen, sinful state. I say that because it is so deeply ingrained in people.
All the modern so-called “rights” movements swamping the West with increasing darkness, all proclaiming that people have been oppressed, abused, victimized, etc., all lead people to be overcome with a sense of restlessness, self-focus, hopelessness, hatred, anger and resentfulness.
It then leads to widespread depression and mental health problems, because people are simply miserable in response to these things.
The aggrieved always blame others, demand “justice”, reparations, and eventually they want to take revenge for things purported to have been done against them or those who went before them for historic wrongs, many of which are misrepresented to achieve their ideological ends.
None of this leads to any lasting peace or happiness or contentment. None of it.
Much of it comes from the worldview propagated by Karl Marx, a political system called Marxism. He originally tied his philosophy to economics, and class divisions, but when that didn’t work it was mutated by others to become the current movement of the left taking root throughout the West.
He formulated the division of people along lines such as oppressed/oppressor, which forms the foundation of modern “progressive” political movement today. It can then be used to divide race, gender, colonized/colonialist etc.
This breeds deep “woe is me” or “grievance” thinking in the masses who fall for it. Many of them are what is termed "useful idiots" by the socialist elite driving this movement. Most of the people suffering through this nightmare have probably never even heard of Karl Marx or Gramsci, the Italian socialist who is a father of and proponent of the mutated Marxism.
The danger of Marxism is for another article, but it is worth keeping it in mind as we consider the debilitating effects of this grievance movement.
When trying to give up a bad habit, a helpful thing to do is to replace that habit with something else, a good habit. Grumbling usually leads to more grumbling and needs to be replaced with something else to defeat it.
The antidote to all this negative and ultimately highly destructive behaviour, the vaccine and cure for it and the only solution which does lead to earthly happiness, peace, satisfaction with what we have, and contentment is GRATITUDE. I am happy to say that again: GRATITUDE.
Being grateful for what you do have today rather than dwelling on past wrongs, of yours or others, will make you much happier. There is always something we can be grateful for. We just consciously need to look for them. It asl helps, you and others, if you then share them with others.
As Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it, “You may see two persons living exactly the same sort of life, facing precisely the same conditions. And yet they are very different. One is bitter and sour and grumbling and complaining, the other is calm and quiet, happy and composed. What is the difference? The difference is in the persons themselves.” (Faith on Trial, 76)
Two men looked out from the prison bars.
The one saw mud, the other stars.
Much hinges on whether we are grateful, positive and hopeful or negative, despairing and hope-less. Will we look down or up? Even in the most difficult circumstances there is something we can be appreciative for, beauty we can enjoy, things to inspire us.
Stop whining, stop feeling sorry for yourself, accept we live in a fallen world. Bad things happen. Get over it and move on.
As the old song goes, “Count Your Blessings”. There are so many good things in your life that you can be grateful for. List them down regularly so you don’t forget them.
Train yourself to think of them. Speak of them with your family and friends. Play a game with your children on the way to school to mention as many things they can be grateful for. You will be surprised, and you will be much happier!
Maybe also stop consuming so much news media and social media. They thrive on the negative stuff. Just switch it off and consciously, actively, daily, replace your discontentment with gratitude. You will feel so much better!
Live like you really believe that God is God. That He is in full control of all things. Leave vengeance to God. Just get on with your life and keep trying to build the best life you can. Keep it positive, because life is too short.
“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)
Forgive past wrongs. Focus on today and the future. Be grateful for the good things in your life. Realize that this life in not heaven. It is so obviously not heaven. It is a mess and has been since Genesis 3.
But there are still good things to be thankful for. Read about the greatest thing any human being can receive freely and will be grateful for every day following.
(Photo by Craig Manners. Sunset in Malawi 2017)
21st August 2023
As the progressive mind virus, spreading life-destroying “grievance thinking,” among many other destructive elements, continues throughout western nations, it is helpful to know there is a vaccine available!
God has much to say in the Bible regarding contentment. He makes it clear we will have better lives if we work at being content with our lot.
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
“Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15).
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:12-13)
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
So much of our modern world is geared toward breeding discontentment, self-pity, victimhood, grievance thinking, and resentment in us. It is obvious that these things never bring any happiness, satisfaction or peace. So, why do we bother with them? Why would we want to live that way?
I don’t know for sure, but it would most certainly have something to do with our fallen, sinful state. I say that because it is so deeply ingrained in people.
All the modern so-called “rights” movements swamping the West with increasing darkness, all proclaiming that people have been oppressed, abused, victimized, etc., all lead people to be overcome with a sense of restlessness, self-focus, hopelessness, hatred, anger and resentfulness.
It then leads to widespread depression and mental health problems, because people are simply miserable in response to these things.
The aggrieved always blame others, demand “justice”, reparations, and eventually they want to take revenge for things purported to have been done against them or those who went before them for historic wrongs, many of which are misrepresented to achieve their ideological ends.
None of this leads to any lasting peace or happiness or contentment. None of it.
Much of it comes from the worldview propagated by Karl Marx, a political system called Marxism. He originally tied his philosophy to economics, and class divisions, but when that didn’t work it was mutated by others to become the current movement of the left taking root throughout the West.
He formulated the division of people along lines such as oppressed/oppressor, which forms the foundation of modern “progressive” political movement today. It can then be used to divide race, gender, colonized/colonialist etc.
This breeds deep “woe is me” or “grievance” thinking in the masses who fall for it. Many of them are what is termed "useful idiots" by the socialist elite driving this movement. Most of the people suffering through this nightmare have probably never even heard of Karl Marx or Gramsci, the Italian socialist who is a father of and proponent of the mutated Marxism.
The danger of Marxism is for another article, but it is worth keeping it in mind as we consider the debilitating effects of this grievance movement.
When trying to give up a bad habit, a helpful thing to do is to replace that habit with something else, a good habit. Grumbling usually leads to more grumbling and needs to be replaced with something else to defeat it.
The antidote to all this negative and ultimately highly destructive behaviour, the vaccine and cure for it and the only solution which does lead to earthly happiness, peace, satisfaction with what we have, and contentment is GRATITUDE. I am happy to say that again: GRATITUDE.
Being grateful for what you do have today rather than dwelling on past wrongs, of yours or others, will make you much happier. There is always something we can be grateful for. We just consciously need to look for them. It asl helps, you and others, if you then share them with others.
As Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it, “You may see two persons living exactly the same sort of life, facing precisely the same conditions. And yet they are very different. One is bitter and sour and grumbling and complaining, the other is calm and quiet, happy and composed. What is the difference? The difference is in the persons themselves.” (Faith on Trial, 76)
Two men looked out from the prison bars.
The one saw mud, the other stars.
Much hinges on whether we are grateful, positive and hopeful or negative, despairing and hope-less. Will we look down or up? Even in the most difficult circumstances there is something we can be appreciative for, beauty we can enjoy, things to inspire us.
Stop whining, stop feeling sorry for yourself, accept we live in a fallen world. Bad things happen. Get over it and move on.
As the old song goes, “Count Your Blessings”. There are so many good things in your life that you can be grateful for. List them down regularly so you don’t forget them.
Train yourself to think of them. Speak of them with your family and friends. Play a game with your children on the way to school to mention as many things they can be grateful for. You will be surprised, and you will be much happier!
Maybe also stop consuming so much news media and social media. They thrive on the negative stuff. Just switch it off and consciously, actively, daily, replace your discontentment with gratitude. You will feel so much better!
Live like you really believe that God is God. That He is in full control of all things. Leave vengeance to God. Just get on with your life and keep trying to build the best life you can. Keep it positive, because life is too short.
“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)
Forgive past wrongs. Focus on today and the future. Be grateful for the good things in your life. Realize that this life in not heaven. It is so obviously not heaven. It is a mess and has been since Genesis 3.
But there are still good things to be thankful for. Read about the greatest thing any human being can receive freely and will be grateful for every day following.
(Photo by Craig Manners. Sunset in Malawi 2017)