Recently, during a conversation with my Sister, she told me the Lord had gotten rid of all her "niggles". Rather than confess I didn't know what that meant, I headed straight for my Webster's College Dictionary. The word "niggle" means: 1. to spend too much time and effort on inconsequential details, trifle. 2. to criticize in a peevish (cross) way. As usual, many things began to run though my mind, first being the title of this post. There is a little book out about "not sweating the small stuff". I think we spend a lot of time doing just that, "sweating the small stuff" which in turn makes us critical and just plain cranky! There are plenty of BIG things to get our attention. Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:34, tells us that each day will have it's own troubles so don't add to it (my paraphrase). We can quibble daily over many things that would distract us from our walk of gentleness, faithfulness, love, patience, peace, joy, kindness, goodness and self-control. This conversation with my sister was so significant because a couple of days earlier, she was released from an extended stay in the hospital. She had suffered from a very serious, life-threatening infection. There had been many hours of prayer and concern invested during this time. When things like this happen that are basically life changing experiences, it causes you to reassess. I have written often regarding the Joy of the Lord being our Strength. So, in the same way the Lord can turn our Mourning into Dancing, He can turn our Niggles into Giggles! Instead of being so picky and anxious over things of little consequence, we can let them run off us like water off a duck's back. Prioritizing life's issues by importance and crossing off the things that are inconsequential will bring an abundance of freedom and joy. More time will be available to concentrate on the important things like nurturing relationships with those we love and expanding our borders of creativity. I'm trying to think of a better way to end this. But, then, perhaps I would just be "niggling". Until next time, keep "giggling".
