My drug of choice...

Jonah 4:19
Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?"
And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!"

James 1:20
"for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

Man's anger brings about death. As the saying goes, "anger is a poison that one drinks in the hopes that someone else will die."

So why is it that I feel so justified, like Jonah, to be angry? I get so bent out of shape when someone or something does not go my way. My pleasure, comfort and met expectations are undeserved blessings from God born out of His great mercy and grace. Were it not for His great love for me, I would know nothing but the suffering of sin and the decay of this world. So why do I indignantly expect such favor?

For starters, I don't value the things that God values. I place my selfish desires above other people. Like Jonah, I'd rather see someone else suffer than miss out on what I feel I deserve.
I also have a tendency to neglect gratefulness. I am so blessed that I've grown calloused to God's provision in my life. What are luxuries and privileges have become like an addictive drug that I cannot do without. I'll lie, cheat, steal, manipulate and fight just to hold onto the buzz of my comfortable life. The only way to overcome this addiction is with gratitude and a right recognition that these things are really undeserved blessings.

Father - reorder my values around what you value. Break my addiction to comfort and my own pleasure and make me to be grateful in all things.

Colossians 2:4 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.