“So we have no reason to despair. Despite the fact that our outer humanity is falling apart and decaying, our inner humanity is breathing in new life every day. You see, the short-lived pains of this life are creating for us an eternal glory that does not compare to anything we know here. So we do not set our sights on the things we can see with our eyes. All of that is fleeting; it will eventually fade away. Instead, we focus on the things we cannot see, which live on and on” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

I’d like to say that I never complain or get annoyed, but I do. Here are a few things that get on my nerves (and note how most of them involve driving and/or traffic):

1) Slow-moving traffic, especially when there’s no obvious reason for it.

2) People who crowd the yellow line on two-lane roads and can’t seem to quite stay in their lane.

3) People who don’t know how to merge, use turn signals, stop at red lights, or drive in general. And I realize that I cheated and combined several pet-peeves into one.

The Apostle Paul spoke of momentary light afflictions he was enduring. Here’s what he considered “momentary” and “light”:

1) Being beaten with rods.

2) Being stoned and left for dead.

3) Being harassed and persecuted in virtually every place where he went to spread the gospel.

4) Being shipwrecked.

5) Being in prison.

He even said to count it all joy. To give thanks. To be content. Why? Because all that produces an eternal weight of glory that far outweighs any of the bad you go through.

I suppose we all need an attitude adjustment from time to time. Maybe what I need is to have an attitude of gratitude.

That’s the title of the new Kairos series. It would also make for a good mission statement. The key isn’t to be a masochist or a sadist, but to change your perspective and look for things to be thankful for in any situation. To see joy in every circumstance.

Yeah, I think I’ll do that.