Count the Little Things as Victory

by James
(Spotsylvania, VA USA)

There’s a commercial advertising the employment section of a major East coast newspaper where a parrot keeps repeating…”I can’t take this…I can’t take this…..Not another day. Not another day, SQUAAAWWWK!!!” A few seconds later, in through the door of a very nice house, walks a depressed and disgruntled man and he ends up uttering the same words that parrot did.

Well, most of us know this to mean the poor parrot heard those same words so often that he was able to commit them to memory and speak them. Are we any different? We complain about everything: money problems, body aches and pains, family problems, job problems, car problems, etc.

You name it, we complain about it.

What we really need to ask ourselves is this: Is all the complaining really worth it? Where is it getting me? It is this type of mindset that will rob us of the victorious life we are seeking to live, this type of depressed spirit is contrary to God’s Word and His loving desire for us. In order for us to live in victory, we need to know what we HAVE versus what we don’t have! Follow me for a minute or two, let me open your eyes to the victory you had and didn’t know it:

• Your legs hurt. Be thankful you have LEGS that can hurt. Somebody out there doesn’t have legs!



• You wish you could have LASIK surgery so you could get rid of these glasses and contacts. Somebody out there is blind or without an eye(s).




• You can’t stand your car. Its beat up, old and ugly. Ask that poor soul who has to “hitch” a ride or catch the bus how they would feel about DRIVING!




• You alarm goes off too early….time for work again. You hate this job. There are so many folks who DID NOT wake up, who would love to have A JOB to go to!




• You fumble about your house, wake up the kids, let out the dog, take a shower, put on your suit, pour some cereal and start another miserable day.




• For every other thing you complain or gripe about regularly, you should stop and look around you! Open a newspaper, watch the news. YOU are more blessed than you could ever realize! So many souls in this world are afflicted with pain, tortured, starving, homeless, in poor health, physically or mentally disabled, abused, forgotten, unemployed. But you are upset because you are having leftovers for lunch!

David was a "nobody" in his early years, a "shepherd", the bottom of the social ladder but he knew how to praise his God. Whenever I feel the slightest inkling to complain, gripe and moan about my circumstances, I remember King David, the "man after God's own heart"; he knew how to keep it in perspective.

Look at three select chapters in the book of Psalms (147, 148 and 150) we find David PRAISING God with all of his heart and soul, encouraging you and I and ALL of Creation to do the same. David had a humble and thankful spirit and because of this God elevated higher and higher. Give God thanks brothers and sisters; it will do wonders for your "condition" whatever it is, give God the glory:

Thank Him for the house or apartment you live in, Thank Him that you can stumble to a shower with WARM, running water..Thank Him that your children, they are ALIVE and HEALTHY and if you are married, THANK GOD you have a spouse who loves only you, that he/she is alive and healthy and laying next to you in that warm bed!

Give God the praise for your cold cereal and your leftovers, Thank Him that you have a clean bowl table and chairs to eat from. When you let your dogs out, thank God for them too! Day in and day out those dogs display unconditional love and devotion to you and your entire family, 4 legged mirrors of His love for you!

Take a minute to gaze at the morning sky! His goodness and mercy painted that glorious sunrise just for YOU! Thank Him for the ability to SEE it and appreciate what you see! Listen with your healthy ears, to the praise and worship of the birds! A symphony dedicated to Him free for you to hear and enjoy; Thank Him for that! And if it’s raining and gray and cold?

Thank Him for His providence, that without rain we cannot appreciate the Sun (pun intended). Oh His mercy endureth forever! Give thanks to God no matter your condition. Your victory lies in the condition of your SOUL no matter the condition of "your world"...when we learn how to be thankful of use of our arms and legs, GOD promises to bless us with greater and greater blessings; 1 Corinthians 2:9 says: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." (New Living Translation).

I think Paul said it best in his letter to the church at Philippia (Philippians), chapter 4; verses 11-12: "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach of empty, with plenty or little."(New Living Translation)

The enemy will seek to destroy our joy and happiness and rob us of the victory we have in Christ; he will try to rob us of our RIGHT to an abundant life as promised by Christ. We can "heap coals" on his head when we count every, single blessing we have.

When we consider everything we DO HAVE versus what we don’t; we quickly realize cognizant of the fact that our God is merciful and full of grace; mercy because HE does not give us what we do deserve and full of grace because He freely gives what we don’t deserve! PRAISE His Holy and righteous name!

So, tomorrow morning, the instant you wake up, give Him thanks, and open up your heart believing you are RICHLY blessed! Give Him thanks for every, single thing you have; from your mind, to your body, to your saved and sanctified soul, give Him thanks for the wind, the rain, the sun, the car, the job, the kids, the food, the clothes, give Him the glory for it all!

You are rich, You are blessed and you are walking in victory!

As Psalm 150:6 exclaims! "Let EVERYTHING that hath breath, praise ye the Lord!" (King James Version)


Be Blessed!



Questions for Reflection:

1. What is your definition of rich and wealthy? How does it align with the Kingdom of God?

2. After reading this lesson, think back over the last week, month, 6 months and year (if you can)….how often were you and/or your spouse complaining about the little things this article discusses? Do you give God the glory, the honor and the praises for these things? Ever thanked Him for the sunrise and sunset?

3. What is your interpretation of Phil 4:11-12? Are you truly content in whatever condition you are in? Try to embrace the victory this gives you over the enemy.

4. If you find yourself complaining and griping based on some of the examples in this study, seek the Lord in prayer and ask Him to replace the pull of what the world calls successful and victory with what the Kingdom says means success and victory.

The Prayer Corner
What's Your Testimony
Share This Site
Write The Author