Complaining

I am a bad—sorry it has been so long since my last blog. Some of you who actually read my blogs asked me to keep writing, so here goes.

Recently I had surgery on my tongue to remove a fibrous growth and the pain and slowness of recovery has reminded me again of the importance of being grateful. I think we all complain to much and this I know about complaining: it's a killjoy. It makes you & everybody around you unhappy. The big problem with complaining is that is a hard habit to break.

I think our basic human nature is naturally negative so we tend to look at the bad things in life instead of the good. Also, it seems to me we are conditioned by our society. Bad news makes the headlines--we are literally bombarded with all that is wrong with everything--it tends to develop in us the habit of complaining.

But we should be different. Here’s what the Apostle Paul said, “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.” Philippians 2:14-15

Jesus help us! This tells me we are supposed to live our lives and do our ministries without complaining! Sometimes we ‘whine’ and says things like it’s just not fair, people don’t really appreciate me, I don’t deserve this, I shouldn’t have to put up with this or how come the other guy gets all the breaks?

The truth is, life is unfair and so is ministry but as long as we complain it only makes us more miserable! This I know, complaining does not work. I have tried it with my wife, Bonnie! She will just say, ‘O shut up!’ She has a way with words!

Seriously, complaining brought judgment to Israel and it does the same to us today. We miss out on God’s best. If the Scripture says we are to “do everything without complaining…”then perhaps here are some things that may help:


● We have to admit we are guilty. “A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.” Prov. 28:13 LB

If our speech was recorded for a week, what would it reveal about our words? Let’s not spend time griping, grumping, complaining, arguing and saying things like “life/ministry stinks.”

● We have stop blaming others. Life and ministry is what we make it—plain and simple. Of course there are trials and people are unreasonable but we are free to make choices, however, we are never free from the consequences of our choices. They may not be immediate but they will be eventual. [Selah]

● We have to realize God uses difficult times to grow us--if we handle them right. Here goes Paul again, “This small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble. So we fix our attention, not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are unseen. What is seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever.” 2 Cor. 4:17-18 GN

-Paul is saying that the good we will get out of our problems will be much more long lasting than the problem. For me, I have noticed the things I complain about the most are often the very things God knows I need the most in order to become all He wants me to be. It is a warning light of God. He is saying, “There is something wrong here. Stop complaining and start changing!”

At a Discipleship Camp years ago one of speakers shared the following on the results of complaining?

1. It absolutely poisons the air.
2. Deflates morale. People start feeling uncomfortable with each other.
3. Hinders vision. Cuts off what God is trying to do.
4. Shows a lack of trust/faith.
5. Keep you from God’s best--The Promise Land.

Pretty good stuff! One more from Paul--Philippians 2:14-15 needs to be the complainers Rhema Word! “Do everything without complaining or arguing…” then there are 3 results:
1. “…so that you may become blameless…” -- nobody can find fault with you! Nobody can point a finger at you.
2. “…and pure…” -- Greek word means ‘having integrity.’ Non-complainers are people of integrity. You cannot trust a complainer—they do not tell the full story—facts are they lie.
3. “…children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in
which you shine like stars in the universe.” – you become positive in a negative world! A positive person shine likes a star on a dark night—there are plenty of critical, put-down type people in this ole world—we are to be different.

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess. 5:18 NIV

“…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Phil. 4:11 NIV

Being happy and joyful in spite of circumstance is called maturity. I love my spiritual sons and daughters and hope this helps you have a better day. Papa G