good morning starshine

I've been re-reading random sections of Trusting God {by Jerry Bridges} lately. A paragraph from the section on physical affliction greatly affected me:

"Trusting God in the midst of our pain and heartache means that we accept it from Him. There is a vast difference between acceptance and either resignation or submission. We can resign ourselves to a difficult situation, simply because we see no other alternative. Many people do that all the time. Or we can submit to the sovereignty of God in our circumstances with a certain amount of reluctance. But to truly accept our pain and heartache has the connotation of willingness. An attitude of acceptance says that we trust God, that He loves us, and knows what is best for us..."

While I wouldn't consider myself to be dealing with intense physical trial or heartache, I was still provoked by this passage. I was convicted to apply it to my everyday situations. What is my response when I dislike my circumstance? Is it humble or proud? How often do I deceive myself into thinking my "submission" is "acceptance"? How does this effect my ability to receive from Him? If my heart is not open to the situation/God's will; how can I expect to learn from it? So I think I need to cultivate accaptance. I'm sure God will provide ways to apply this...fun times. :)