Proclaiming, not rehashing!

                           A little food for weekend thought:
          "You have multiplied, O Lord my God, Your wondrous deeds and Your thoughts toward us; none can compare with You!  I  will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told."  Psalm 40:5
      A while back I heard a podcast of John Piper speaking on a panel, and his comment's on this verse really struck a chord with me.  I don't have the exact quote, but he shared very briefly about how he and his wife Noelle went on a date night every week.  During their time together on these dates, they had become experts on parsing their children's problems and discussing all the issues and difficulties and struggles in their lives.
     And then early one morning, John was reading Psalm 40 and came to verse 5--"...I will proclaim and tell of them [the Lord's wondrous deeds], yet they are more than can be told."  He said he was dumbstruck.  Here he was a minister of God's Word and proclaiming the greatness and majesty of God to his congregation and to others all over the world, but he was not proclaiming it in his own home, in  his own marriage. He had not been recalling God's goodness in their own home!
     He said he went to his wife and tearfully confessed how he had failed in this area.  Rather than encouraging one another on those date nights, recounting God's goodness and faithfulness, they had been merely rehearsing all the woes and negatives in their lives.
     Man, that really convicted me, for how easy it is to fall into that pattern--especially in our own homes!  When I heard Piper's words, here is what I wrote to my gracious Father: "Lord, forgive me as I'm so prone to focus on the negative instead of all Your gifts, Your goodness, Your grace towards me and my family.  Did it just this morning when I got discouraged about something.  Forgive me, Father.  Help me to proclaim Your wondrous deeds and thoughts--not just in my blog but in my family!  In my thoughts.  In my everyday life--preoccupy me with proclaiming Your wonders rather than complaining about the weaknesses in my life or the lives of those I love.  In Jesus' powerful and glorious and forever worthy name I pray, Amen."
     No one else may have needed this, but just in case, Psalm 40:5 provides a little ammunition to proclaim His wonders rather than rehashing your woes.  By the way, I've discovered "proclaiming" always leads to joy and hope; "rehashing," well, it inevitably results in irritability and downheartedness.  I choose joy...because I choose Jesus and His greatness and goodness and infinite grace.  Time to proclaim it...with our friends, with our families, with ourselves.
     To God--the Lord of wondrous deeds and thoughts towards us too innumerable to be told (but we will try!)--be all the glory!