“Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5)
I have probably watched it twenty times since its’ release in 1993. So, because February 2nd was the little rodent’s day, I watched the movie Groundhog Day once again. I think the film intrigues me because it is a good reminder that our attitude can change once we surrender to our surroundings. If you are not familiar with the plot, weatherman Phil (Bill Murray) finds himself stuck in Penxsutawney, Pennsylvania on Groundhog Day, with the dubious honor of reporting whether the famous groundhog, Penxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow or not. But Phil (Bill Murray, not the little rodent) gets stuck in a time warp, reliving the events of Groundhog Day over and over. Feeling doomed, Phil (once again, not the rodent. I know it’s a bit confusing but stick with me) makes no effort to hide his frustration at his repetitive schedule. He even tries to kill himself and the little rodent at one point. But then, the good part comes. Phil’s attitude changes when he finally decides to make the best of his situation. And as his attitude is altered, things in Penxsutawney change for him. He makes a lot of new friends, becomes popular, learns to play the piano, gets the girl, and becomes buds with the little rodent.
We all find ourselves living in a lot of frustration. We experience situations we neither like nor want. Between a pandemic, and moral and political changes, we may struggle having a positive attitude of joy and gratitude. The Bible calls it “kicking against the goads.” Jesus used the expression when he confronted Saul (the apostle Paul) on the road to Damascus. Christ’s question to Saul was this – “why are you kicking against the goads?” Goads were long rods with a sharp end, used to prick an animal to move. The idea was that while the animals fought the farmer who was driving them, they were hurting themselves with the sharp points of the rods. Jesus told Saul that he was hurting himself as he fought against God’s will.
Sure, we want things better than they are now. Sure, we want to see some positive changes. Sure, we want to see God’s righteousness prevail. Sure, we want unwanted things in our personal life to go away. But have we stopped to think that what we are experiencing in our life right now is exactly what God wants us to experience? Have we realized that God has a plan for us that we can only learn if we experience the prodding of goads, painful as they are at times? Have we considered the fact that by fighting our circumstances we are fighting God, and hurting ourselves? Have we realized that relief comes when we stop struggling and submit to things as they are, trusting God to take care of us? After all, we are aware that God desires to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). But do we realize that the bible tells us Christ was a man of “suffering and familiar with pain.”? (Isaiah 53:3). If we are truly going to be like Christ, we too must experience suffering and pain.
We probably all need to start adjusting our attitudes, and submit to the situations God has us in. When God is ready to deliver us, he will. And it will be in ways that will bring him the most glory. Who would have thought that a weatherman and a little rodent from Penxsutawney, Pennsylvania could teach us such a valuable lesson?
Darlene