When you were a child, were you ever cautioned by an adult just because of something you casually said? How did that make you feel? A big lesson for me last year was that complaining about situations or things going on around you doesn’t make them disappear. Instead, it gets you worried and restless. Which would you rather have?
Last week, I shared the story of trust from Abraham and his son, Isaac. Today’s post centers on one major reason why you should watch the utterances you allow out of your mouth every time.
Philippians 2:14-15
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”
(NKJV)
The children of Israel were a people blessed; loved and favored by God by God. It was evident and tangible for everyone to see – even their enemies. While they were enslaved in Egypt, God appointed Moses as their leader and spokes person, who through obedience to God’s instructions was able to liberate the Israelites from generational slavery.
God rescued them from a lifetime of slavery and fought for them. The Israelites actually experience the heavy manifestations of God’s presence, they ate food that dropped from the sky, were guided by the presence of God in the wilderness, and witnessed the parting of the Red Sea. Still, the human nature of continuous complaining and murmuring in them didn’t let them partake of the promise.
Numbers 11:1-2
“Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched.”
(NKJV)
Complaining is a stealer of time and blessings. Imagine trusting God for so long for something and getting to lose it because you have an habit of complaining without knowing. That used to be me because I would always just say something small that’s misaligned with what God is doing, until I noticed and started monitoring this unhealthy habit.
To move away from complaining, you have to start giving thanks. Watch your thoughts, words and actions, give thanks with trust in your heart that all will be well even in bad situations. Genuine thanksgiving is the code to showing God that you trust Him enough to show appreciation in advance! Let this be your code in 2024.
Psalms 103:1-2
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:”
(NKJV)
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