Complaining

But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy 6:6

Sometimes, if we complain loud enough and long enough, we get what we want. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” It may make us feel good to complain. We feel we are better than people we are complaining about. But when we complain, we tell people that we lack something. We lack a grateful spirit. We forget all that God has done and is doing for us. We also tell others that we lack faith. We do not believe His promises to care for us and provideanswers for our problems if we ask Him.

Complaining damages friendships. No one wants a friend who continually talks about what is wrong. Complaining also makes our troubles worse. We become discouraged and lose hope. Worst of all, complaining leads us away from God. Romans 1:21 tells about people who knew God but did not glorify Him or give thanks to Him. As a result, their foolish hearts were darkened. Numbers 16 tells of God’s people complaining. As a result, 14,700 complainers were destroyed by a plague. Complaining, from God’s point of view, is serious. How can we stop complaining?

The first step is to admit we cannot do it ourselves. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” We must confess to God and ask Him to take full control of our minds and tongues. We must realize that complaining is sin and ask God to forgive us and change us. Then we need to fill our minds with good things, as Philippians 4:8 tells us. It is very important to read God’s Word daily. When we feel discouraged, we should read Isaiah 41:10. The more we tell God our complaints, the less we feel like complaining to others. Let us replace complaining with prayer and thanksgiving.

Eli Yoder, Stuarts Draft, VA

The more I know Jesus, the more contented I become.

I know we all complain about something every single day, whether it be the rising cost of fuel and food, or the hot weather or the children making a mess after you just cleaned or a hubby that doesn't seem to listen to you.

It's easy to get frustrated that way.

Instead of complaining about these circumstances, we can turn it around and say 'thank God I have a roof over my head and some food in the pantry.' Or 'thank God for the messes I have to clean up after my children, it means they are here with me and not ill in the hospital or worse, the grave'.

I want you my fellow Bloggers, in the comment section here to go ahead and list 5 things you are thankful for today. It can be more than 5 if you like, but even when we are having the worst day possible, there is always something to be thankful unto our Heavenly Father for.

I can't wait to read your lists!!!

Here are mine:

1. I am thankful that God woke me up this morning and gave me the the breath of life to go about another day He has created.

2. I am thankful for His mercy and grace and for saving my soul in 2001. Oh praise the Lord!

3. I am thankful for my mom, my brother, my husband, and his family.

4. I am thankful for the ability to read so I can soak up the Word of God and learn from it.

5. I am thankful that God has allowed me to be a keeper at home, to allow me to take care of my groom and his castle, all the while saving tons of money in the process (meaning since I am not working, I am not eating out twice a day, we are not paying for a second car, second car insurance, etc.).

Your turn!

God Bless!

Dawn