I saved this as a draft on Monday, just to remind myself to come back and work on it. Yes, I work that way. I make the topic, don't write anything, then come back after I've prayed about it more, organized my thoughts, and figured out which direction to go with it.
Oddly enough, last night at Bible study, we were reviewing the 10 commandments and the discussion went to the 8th, 9th and 10th commandments of no lying, stealing or coveting. The interesting thing that occurred to me was that if we are simply content with all that we have, regardless of our circumstances, then we will not complain, nor should we. If we don't complain, then we shouldn't feel the need to covet, nor steal, nor feel like we need to lie to cover up the stealing. I'm not saying that I do these things, but just linking the 3 together in a way that I've seen happen before.
Why complain though? Well, what do we have a tendency to complain about? Well, the weather, the barometric pressure affecting our backs [this is very real here at our house with osteoarthritis], the house not being clean, things needing to be done, it's too cold...oh wait, that was under excuses too. I guess they are related?! Imagine that!
There are other complaints people have as well, like they don't have a roof over their head, they have to push all of their worldly possessions all over the place in a buggie, they have to live in a tent while the wind blows cold outside, they lose their life savings due to the economy and have to live paycheck to paycheck now, they lose their job, they have no food to feed their children, they just got their test results back and it is a debilitating blow of non-treatable cancer.
I confess that I am one of the biggest culprits here. I may not verbalize my complaints, but they're still in my head which makes my sin just as bad as the next person. What is the sin? What is so wrong with complaining?
Complaining makes a person a sour-puss who is full of a sour attitude that reflects in their words and actions, an unhappy countenance with an unthankful attitude and disrespectful to the ONE who created us. All of this complaining and dwelling upon what we do NOT have makes us bitter.
How does one get out of the complaining mode?
Emulate Paul!
Philippians 4:11-13
"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,
therewith to be content.
(12) I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry,
both to abound and to suffer need.
(13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
emphasis mine
1 Timothy 6:6-8
"But godliness with contentment is great gain:
(7) for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out;
(8) but having food and covering we shall be therewith content."
Contentment is the direct opposite of complaining. How do you find contentment? Pray! List everything in your prayers to God that you're thankful for. Each time you pray, thank God for something that you haven't thanked Him for before this time. Make your thankfulness different each time you pray. Tell people that you're thankful to God for them in your life. Verbalize thankfulness every day, in every single situation that you come across. Give God praise at every turn for every little thing. Make thankfulness lists with your family.
Then...
...when something not so good happens...
...you can thank God for the opportunity to lean deeper into Him and say, "Ok God, I'm going to find shelter under your wings, I've given this to you. I know you've got my back." and completely be content in the knowledge that the God of all will be faithful.
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