“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God…! Philippines 2:14
Meditation:
Several things happen when we complain, none of them positive. Next time you are met with an inconvenience do not complain…Keep today’s meditation in your heart.
“Can’t complain!” I hear this phrase almost every day, saying it quite often as well. Nobody likes to hear another person complaining, and when things are going well it easy to oblige with the desires in this verse. Things are not always so easy though.
I remember taking a bicycle ride a long time ago. I started off feeling great: weather was nice, my bike and body were feeling good, and I would certainly say that I couldn’t complain. Fast forward an hour or so, and I had a flat tire with no way to repair it, no money, it had started to rain, and I remember biking back on my flat tire and even the slightest breeze in my face seemed like something I could write a book of complaints about. This is why Paul wants to emphasize the importance of keeping quiet rather than complaining in his letter to the Philippians.
Let’s be honest here: it is basically impossible to live our lives “without murmurings and disputing” Paul never had to wait on hold with customers service or had a flight delayed! But this is why Paul’s teaching is so important. Having this verse in your mind when you Do complain will work to ease any future complaints and eventually, hopefully, lead to less and less and possibly even no murmurings and disputing. Paul himself had some things he certainly could have complained about and possibly did, seeing as he was arrested and persecuted for his Faith. No good comes from it. I realize it, and I am sure that you do too. Keep this verse in your mind and it will only serve to improve your life and all the lives around you.
Several things happen when we complain, none of them positive.
First we focus our own mental power on something negative, something that has annoyed or bothered us.
Second, we drag another person down by making them listen to our complaints.
Third, complaints rarely offer a solution to the situation with which we have a problem. Usually they are just a reiteration of an event that caused us some discomfort.
Lastly and most importantly, we forget to cherish every moment of our life, a Great Gift that all of us do not deserve but have been given. This is the most egregious of errors and one that meditating on this verse can certainly aid us with. There are figures in the Bible that complain, certainly. I would argue that all of them, Job, King David, Moses, etc. realized that their complaints were incorrect. They asked for forgiveness almost immediately upon complaining, realizing their mistake. We should all seek to do the same. Keep this verse in mind, and meditatate on it in your heart. Next time you are met with an inconvenience, “Don’t complain.” If we constantly complain we will remain… But if we PRAISE, we will be RAISED…
Prayer:
Our Heavenly Father help us to be Honest, Trusting and Grateful in you. Focusing in Praising you for the many blessings you have given us, in Jesus’ name. We pray. Amen!
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