Accusing, bellyaching, bewailing, charging, critical, deploring, disapproving, discontented, dissenting, fretting, grumbling, lamenting, malcontent, moaning, mourning, murmuring, peevish, protesting, querulous, regretting, repining, resentful, weeping, and whining. These are all synonyms for complaining. When you put it that way...that sounds hideous. I have to admit I am one to complain. I noticed this awhile ago and have been trying to work on it, but the habit still rears its ugly head every once in awhile. For awhile I thought it made me more interesting and/or humble if I was to complain about something. "Yes I got a new car, but its not that great."..."I moved to a brand new home...but it's a trailer."..."Yes I have a job...but I have to work more than I want to." I would always find a way to add something on. I guess I feel like I was bragging if I talked about something good in my life, so I would find a way to complain about the good things, in a weird way feeling more humble about it. Also, I think one of the reasons I felt like this was because I just talked too much in general. I hate the dead silence when nothing is being said, so I would just say something to say anything and end up saying things I didn't even really mean sometimes. I eventually realized that this made me sound ungrateful. Every blessing is from the Lord, so why would I feel like I was bragging about it? When I started giving the glory to God, it took that feeling of boasting away and allowed me to stop adding that "but" statement to the end of the sentence. I also cut down on my amount of talking to only what actually needed to be said and forcing myself to be okay with silence. My favorite verse regarding this is Psalm 51:15-"O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise." Another selection of verses I like is Philippians 2:14-15-"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." That one rocks!
The moral of the story is: complaining is not being grateful to the Lord for taking care of us. If you are living and breathing today, you have a reason to be thankful. If you have somewhere to live, whether it is your own home, apartment, trailer, or with someone else, you have something to be thankful for. If you have food in your belly you have something to be thankful for. If you are blessed to live in this country where we have the freedom to worship God when, where, and how we want to, that is something major to be thankful for! I am sure many other things come to mind to be thankful for. God is so good! It is all about how you look at the situation. Do you have your positive glasses on? It is all about contentment, which our buddy Paul new so well. "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13. This is a memory verse I learned in Crown Financial and it has been a good reminder when I start to covet or envy others. I have exactly what I need from the Lord, He has provided. Every. Single. Time.Thankfulness is not one of the fruits of the Spirit, but it encompasses them all. When we are thankful, we are showing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control to the Lord.
I am going to be meditating on these verses and trying to eliminate complaining from my vocab. So if I am talking to you, and suddenly stop mid sentence, that would be why ;-) Have a truly thankful and blessed day!!!
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