At one time the people complained before God about their misfortune (Numbers 11: 1)
Two boys are eating grapes. One of them said, "The wine is sweet, isn't it?" "Indeed," said the other, "but there are a lot of seeds." While walking through the garden, the first child exclaimed, "Look at those big and beautiful red roses!" The other child commented, “The rose is full of thorns!” It was a hot day so they stopped by a shop to buy some soda. After sipping his drink a few times, the second child complained, "My bottle is half empty." Quickly the first child replied, "My bottle is still half full!"
Many people are like the negative-minded child in the story above. They always see life through a dark glass. Like the Israelites in the Scriptures we read today, they groaned and groaned when they should have praised God for His gracious providence. But thank God, not all of them are like that. There are people who notice the positives and they seem cheerful, happy, and grateful. They are realistic about the bleak side of life, but not sullen and fussy.
You can overcome negative thoughts. Whoever you are and whatever your circumstances, there are many things you can always be grateful for. Contemplate God's love for you. Praise Him for His care. Then, instead of complaining about "thorns", it is better to be grateful for a beautiful "rose" -Richard De Haan
Instead of grumbling about not getting what you want, be grateful for not getting what you
deserve
deserve
*) Take from Daily Meditation