Complain

I know the pain is a continuous one and one day she will be forced to do the knee replacement but in the meantime she just deals with it, getting some relief from shots.   I said but you never complain, and she replied, what good would complaining do? She is right complaining doesn't change anything or make situations better.  It amplifies frustration, spreads discontent and discord and can be the very invitation that opens a door for the enemy to reek havoc in our lives. What would complaining do?   That one silly line has stuck with me, for how many times do I complain about this or that and she is right what "good" does it do? 

I think probably most of us do a little complaining now and then but until I read some of the commentaries this morning, I did not realize what a huge issue complaining was to God. It is a downright sin. Yikes.  I grumble and murmur about the little things as well as the big ones without any regard of their actual impact on my attitude but more importantly God's approval.  Remember what happened when the Israelites began complaining about the manna, God came down on them and many of them died.  God obviously does not condone complaining or grumbling. 

I started trying to condense these thoughts that I read this morning, and the one  message continued to be highlighted.  If I am complaining , then I am not accepting God's hand of sovereignty on my life, and in reality my complaints are directed towards God himself. For whatever is happening in my life that I am complaining about has been either ordained or allowed by God to impact me in a way that he has purposed.Maybe it is to strengthen my faith, or to help me change perspectives, or turn my eyes to my blessings instead of my trials. This was the second highlighted message;  If I am filled with praise and thanksgiving then there is no room for me to grumble and complain. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Christ endured a suffering that I cannot begin to comprehend yet he never complained. 

There are always going to be things in our lives that we are not going to easily embrace, but instead of the complaining and grumbling to others, we need to take our issue to the one who has the potential to help us solve the situations or give us the strength and courage to bear whatever it is and the wisdom and tenacity to work through it. Grumbling and thanksgiving are vicious rivals, and only one can hold a proper place in our hearts and minds.  

I know this doesn't seem to play into this devotional but last week I was watching golf on television and a announcer made the comment when one of the players' shots had landed in a tough spot and he said:  "when you get in trouble, you need to get out of trouble", and I thought that was such a lame comment but it was so lame and so simple that I could not get it out of my mind. As you can see, it remains.  But in thinking about complaining, when we complain, we often are complaining because somethign has inconvenienced us or not gone our way and measured up to our standards. If we only will be conscious of the complaint, or our complaining nature, that would be our first step in detouring it.  "If we are complaining...stop complaining".  

Just as simple as that trouble deal.  And the best way to stop complaining is to actively seek the blessings that are before us given by God who is the authority over us. 

It is a simple verse: Philippians 2:14 Do all things without complaining or disputing.  It doesn't say most things, it says "all" things.  That includes washing the dog, and getting along with siblings, and loving when you don't feel like it, and forgiving when you have been wronged, going to the grocery store,  caring for a discontented somebody, holding down a job, juggling kids, sacrificing your time and energies for the sake of someone else etc. etc. etc.  For in everyone of those scenarios there is something to be thankful for; a blessing that you may have to dig a little for, but one that God has surely put there for you to find.   The choice is simple...Complain, which God holds in contempt of his many blessings,  or to praise God and be content in whatever circumstances are before you, and trust that in all things he has a purpose for our good and his glory.  

Dear Lord, Complaining and grumbling come into our hearts easy if we are not careful to intercede and close the gates from which those thoughts are generated. Help me Lord to be content in all circumstances and to seek the blessings that I know you have laid before me, especially in the midst of trials and tough times. Teach me Lord to be ever thankful for the ultimate blessing of your son, Jesus, who has gone before me, died because of me and and sent his Holy Spirit to work through me. 

Amen

Praise God wherever you are or whatever situations he has allowed you to be in ....for His glory will shine through