Stop Complaining (1)

'Do all things without complaining...' Philippians 2:14 NKJV

The scripture is a hard one this morning especially if you are a Seahawks fan. Its hard not to complain about another fourth quarter melt down. You can attribute your comments to it just being sports, but if you allow complaining in one area of your life it will generally make its way in to all areas of your life. Love this story about a lady who worked at the post office who was approached by a customer who said, ‘I can’t write. Would you mind addressing this postcard for me?’ After addressing it for him and writing a short message, the postal clerk asked, ‘Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?’ The man thought for a moment and said, ‘Yes, could you add a P.S. at the end saying, “Please excuse the sloppy handwriting.”’ Now, there’s gratitude for you! The Bible says, ‘Do all things without complaining’ because when you don’t, you end up hurting: (1) Yourself. Complaining leads to anger and depression. God loves you and He doesn’t want you hurting yourself. (2) God. Complaining calls into question God’s care, His character and His competence. In reality, what you’re saying is, ‘Lord, You blew it! You had a chance to fulfil my demands and You chose not to.’ (3) Others. Your words affect the people around you and nobody enjoys spending time with a member of ‘the cold–water bucket brigade’. Complaining temporarily satisfies our selfish nature, but it changes nothing. When you complain, you explain your pain for no gain. But here’s the good news: The Bible says, ‘…the people became like those who complain of adversity…’ (Numbers 11:1 NAS) You didn’t start out as a complainer; you ‘became’ that way, and by God’s grace you can become a thanksgiver! Once you acknowledge your habit of moaning and fault–finding, it becomes possible to choose a better one. A bad habit is like a nice soft bed; it’s easy to get into and hard to get out of. So if you’ve fallen into the habit of ‘complaining’—stop it!