2016年2月27日
別只看負面 Taking Notice
读经: 約伯記40章1-14節
Reading: Job 40:1-14
「我立大地根基的時候，你在哪裡呢？」-約伯記38章4節
"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?" Job 38:4
全年读经: 民數記17-19章;馬可福音6章30-56節
Bible in a Year: Numbers 17–19; Mark 6:30-56
每當有客人要來，我總會將家裡打掃一番，但卻越掃越灰心，擔心客人只會看到哪裡還沒打掃乾淨，而不會注意到我已花工夫整理了一遍。這令我想到一個更大的問題：為什麼人常常只看壞的一面，而不看好的那一面呢？我們往往只記得人們的無禮，卻忘了他人的恩慈。惡行總是比善舉更引起關注。我們關注災禍，卻忽視了周遭美好的事物。
這也使我想到，自己也以同樣的態度來看待上帝。我常常只關注於上帝還未完成的應許，而不是祂已有的作為；只看見自己還缺少什麼，而忘了細數所蒙受的福分；或是只看到祂還沒幫我解決哪些事，卻忽略祂已為我成就了多少事。
約伯記提醒了我，上帝也不喜歡我這樣的態度。約伯享受了數十年的福分與富貴之後，遭遇到一連串的悲慘苦難。頓時，這些苦難成了他的生活重心和與人談話的內容。最後，上帝親自介入、質問約伯，讓他領悟到上帝的主權，並承認自己的無知 （約伯記38-40章） 。
下次，當我又開始重蹈覆轍時，希望能隨時自我提醒，停止這樣的負面反應，思想約伯的一生；細心注意上帝已成就的奇妙大事，以及祂繼續所做的大事。
每天記下一則上帝為你成就的事，
作為你的「感恩」日誌。
當你想起美好的事物，感謝上帝吧！
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When I clean my house for a special event, I become discouraged because I think that guests won't notice what I clean, only what I don't clean. This brings to mind a larger philosophical and spiritual question: Why do humans more quickly see what's wrong than what's right? We are more likely to remember rudeness than kindness. Crimes seem to receive more attention than acts of generosity. And disasters grab our attention more quickly than the profound beauty all around us.
But then I realize I am the same way with God. I tend to focus on what He hasn't done rather than on what He has, on what I don't have rather than on what I have, on the situations that He has not yet resolved rather than on the many He has.
When I read the book of Job, I am reminded that the Lord doesn't like this any more than I do. After years of experiencing prosperity, Job suffered a series of disasters. Suddenly those became the focus of his life and conversations. Finally, God intervened and asked Job some hard questions, reminding him of His sovereignty and of everything Job didn't know and hadn't seen (Job 38–40).
Whenever I start focusing on the negative, I hope I remember to stop, consider the life of Job, and take notice of all the wonders God has done and continues to do.
What has the Lord done for you this week? Share it with us at facebook.com/ourdailybread
When you think of all that's good, give thanks to God.