Jesus is asking us this question. 

 Mark 8:17-21

17Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them:“Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?18Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

20“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

21He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

If Jesus were here, would He ask us, “Why do you talk about what you don’t have physically, relationally, emotionally, academically, financially, or even spiritually?”

It’s interesting in that passage above that the next question was “Do you still not see or understand?”  

We are so accustomed to seeing with our physical eyes when our spiritual eyes should be more keen than our literal eyes. Oh how much easier life would be if that were so! The result would be far more accurate understanding.   It appears from this passage that part of having sight and understanding is remembering what He has done for us and being thankful expecting Him to come through for us again. If that were the case, we wouldn’t be talking about these things we don’t have. We would be talking about all the good things God has done along the way. We would be talking of His great mercy. We would talk about how great people are instead of criticizing their every motive. We would talk about the goodness of God that has drawn people to Himself time and time again before our eyes. We would talk about the miracles we’ve experienced or heard about more than the massive need in the world. We would magnify His name above every disease.

What do you find yourself talking about more?

A)   The need, the problem, the issue she has or he has, the way you wish this or that was different?  

B)    Or do you find yourself talking about how God has answered before and how excited you are to see His answer come to be trusting with joyfulmess and peace. Your heart is fully aware of His presence in the middle of what you are believing for. 

 The passage of scripture goes on to ask if our hearts are hardened. That leads me to believe that’s the progression and what’s next. If we just talk about what we don’t have long enough, we become deceived and discontinue to “see” and understand to the point that our hearts actually become hardened.

You want to be happy ANYWAY? Change what you are talking about! Hey, let’s make this pact together today to be happy ANYWAY and talk like it!! If you plan to take this challenge to talk about what IS happening and what you DO have rather than what you don’t have and what you aren’t getting to do, then please repost this blog, email it to a friend and help to spread the happy!! 

And ask yourself all week, “Why are you talking about that? Do you still NOT see and  understand?” Let’s go before God this week and repent if our hearts have become hardened in an area. 

Happy Monday!