Have To or Get To?

Have To or Get To?

Over the past few weeks, as the weather turned colder, I found myself grumbling about certain outdoor tasks—specifically, cleaning the skimmer baskets in the pool. When it’s cold outside and the water is frigid reaching in repeatedly to remove overflowing leaves can be downright painful. Then, armed with a metal pole that is just as cold, I have to scoop out the remaining leaves—sometimes covering a quarter of the pool—to prevent the skimmers from clogging. As I grumbled through the process, a thought struck me: I am complaining about something that is actually a privilege.

How often do we catch ourselves grumbling about the daily tasks that fill our lives? The never-ending laundry, the dishes piling up in the sink, the floors that always seem to need mopping. It’s easy to slip into frustration, to see these chores as burdens rather than blessings. But what if we changed our perspective? What if instead of saying, "I have to do this," we said, "I get to do this"?

Am I upset that I have to mop my floors, or am I grateful that I have a home with floors to clean? Am I frustrated by the stacks of dishes in my sink, or am I thankful that my family gathered around a meal I prepared? Do I sigh at the piles of laundry, or do I take a moment to be grateful for the people in my life who wear those clothes?

This simple shift in perspective can transform the way we approach our daily lives. When we see our responsibilities as privileges, gratitude begins to replace resentment. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Even the most mundane tasks can become acts of worship when done with a thankful heart.

This perspective shift isn’t about ignoring the fact that life can be exhausting. It’s okay to feel tired. It’s okay to acknowledge that some days are hard. But when we approach our tasks with gratitude instead of resentment, we invite joy into our daily routine.

So, the next time you find yourself dreading a chore, pause and ask yourself: Do I have to do this, or do I get to do this?The answer might just change the way you see your day.