The other night, I went upstairs to my warm, cozy bed, threw on some slippers and reached for my phone charger that wasn't there. I had to crawl out of bed and walk all the way downstairs to get my iPhone charger. So annoying, right?

Let me give you a few more common examples of our "big" problems:

The remote is too far out of reach, so I have to stretch out just to grab it.

The autocorrect on my iPhone always corrects word I don't want corrected.

The heated seats in my car don't warm up fast enough.

The computer doesn't "save your password", so you have to type it in for yourself.

I need a nap, but it's too late in the day.

By no means am I saying that those situations (and others) are not annoying and frustrating. I am definitely guilty for sometimes being so wrapped up in things I want or how I want a situation to pan out; but at the end of the day, does it really matter if my college class ran 5 minutes too long, so I was late for my massage appointment. No, not really.

But, I am suggesting that next time we order a Starbucks and they put whipped cream on it when you said you didn't want it, think about the people in the world who would love to live in your shoes. Honestly, the poverty and hardships in other countries are completely out of our control; any donation helps, but you and me, singlehandedly, aren't going to fix this huge problem.

There's one, easy thing that each and every one of us can do. It takes little time and little effort: GRATITUDE. Say thank you to God when little or big problems happen in your life, because He purposefully picked you for your life and your path. But say thank you with empathy, because there are millions of our brothers and sisters living a challenging and arduous life in which we can't comprehend.

About 2 months ago, our paster was speaking about gratitude and how, every single day, we can express our gratitude through a small, unprompted deed for our brothers and sisters. I decided to take on the gratitude challenge our pastor encouraged us to do, and since then, I write a nice note of a quality I loved about them on the receipt before I leave. I mean, I have no idea how any of the waiters/waitresses react to it, but it's my way of expressing my appreciation for my life, the food I eat and for the person who gave me the service.

Again, there is no immediate fix to the devastating conditions across the world, but together, through small acts of kindness, through more patience, and through prayer, we are diminishing the phrase "first world problems".

Whether you live in the United States or of slowly developing countries, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.

I challenge YOU, next time when you can't reach your charger, have to wait an extra 2 minutes for your coffee or a parking spot; take a moment and be thankful that those little situations are you're biggest problems.

Please watch the link below! It is only 1 minute long & I assure you, it will change how you view your current situations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDLqafWub_o