The high cost of complaining and how to quit paying for it.

I heard a message recently about griping, grumbling, murmuring, and complaining.  It hit me between the eyes.

The Hebrew word for “murmur” has an alternate meaning:  to “STOP.”  Here is the application:

“WHEN YOU COMPLAIN, YOU REMAIN.”

God leaves you right where you are when you complain!  

You sit right where you are in your miserable circumstances.

How do we get out of a situation where we are miserable and constantly informing everyone with our mouths?

Here are some ways to get “unstuck” from a complaining condition:

1. Be THANKFUL

“I used to complain about my shoes until I saw a man with no feet.”

Your job may be challenging, but at least you are working.

Your marriage may not be what you envisioned, but your partner is faithful.

Your kids may not be on the Honor Roll, but they are in school being educated.

Right now, look at the best side of this situation and thank the Lord for THAT.

2. Be RESPECTFUL

We always blame people in authority for our woes:  the politicians, the policemen, the pastors, the coaches.

We always blame our spouses, our relatives, and their families.

Respect.  Show honor to people.  They are imperfect (as you may have noticed about yourself!).

Pray for those in authority, your family, your boss, your company.  See them as people who are in a growth process…like you!  

3. Be SATISFIED 

This hits me hard.  I tend to “nit-pick” meals, lawn services, car washes, grocery stores, etc.  

I was a missionary in a nation where the main grocery store in the capital city only had THREE kinds of items.  We have 10,000 items minimum in each large grocery store here!

So what if a meal is less than gourmet?  Just eat.  

Your car may not be a “show-stopper,” but at least it gets you from point A to point B.  You are not walking!

4.  Look FORWARD.

Looking backward is the showroom of regret.

It’s all about the “good old days.”

We tend to forget all the challenges and obstacles in those “good old days.”  

Israel always wanted to turn around in the desert and return to Egypt.  Go back to what?  Slavery!

Look forward to your best days and ideas being ahead.

5. Be PATIENT

I tend to get impatient with airplane travel.

Someone reminded me, “Hey, you are sitting in a comfortable chair, 35,000 feet up, flying through the air at 600 miles per hour, eating snacks, and with a bathroom a few steps away.”

I could wait a few minutes on the runway.

Yes, I know you wait.  In doctors’ offices, on hold on the phone, looking for an Amazon delivery.

Slow down and remember when there was no Amazon.

Lord, help me to stop murmuring, griping, and complaining.

I have friends who have been “stuck” for years, complaining about their homes, jobs, and where they live.

All they have to do is change their attitude, thoughts, and words.

“When you COMPLAIN, you REMAIN.”