The Joys of Minding My Own Business

This verse changed my life:

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you..." ... I Thessalonians 4:11

How could a verse like that change everything? Mostly it's the "mind your own business" part.

I became happier when I minded my own business and--

--stopped having an opinion about what everyone else was doing.
--ceased expecting everyone to make the same choices I made. 

I used to think everyone should paint their walls certain colors or install the carpet I would or buy certain makes of cars or vacation in places where I'd go. 

I thought single folks shouldn't live in big houses or people shouldn't eat at certain expensive restaurants or vote a certain way or grow certain fluorescent-colored flowers or start their kids too early in daycare or I thought writers should have written about different subjects.

--and, sadly, more.

 How exhausting trying to make the world do what you think it should do! Being full of opinions and worry about peoples' choices weighs on your brain.

(Not to mention useless, a huge waste of Life and, according to the above verse, it flies against scripture.)

Of course, there are times when God wants me to speak up or out --but therein lies the key: discovering if He wants to speak through me or if it's just me itching to share my you've-just-gotta-hear-this opinion. 

After all, it only matters what God thinks--He knows best.

But other than that? How wonderful to be weaned off of putting my nose where it doesn't belong. How freeing to let people be who they are. 

And how awesome to trust God to make any necessary changes in peoples' lives--and to watch Him create lovelier folks that I ever could have.

There's always plenty of Grace available for me to relax and let God be God.


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