Stop Complaining and Start Thanking

Do all things without complaining and disputing. Philippians 2:14 NKJV

Imagine what it would be like to have a full-time complainer follow you around for a day.  You would soon discover that you would soon start to complain yourself.  Complainers come to suck the life out of just about any circumstance.  At work, a complainer can make a fun job into a chore.  At home, a complainer can turn a place of rest into a place of stress.  You get the idea, the list can go on and on.

Paul had a clear message for all who complain or have a negative attitude.  Don't!  In his letter to the Philippian church, Paul encouraged the Christians there to do all things without complaining.  It's likely that Paul's words sounded a lot easier to obey than they actually were.  But there are ways to avoid being a complainer.  Always look on the bright side of life, in other words look at the "God side of life", which is His word.  There is real power in looking at what's working right in any given situation.  If you search for something that's wrong or negative in your circumstance, you can almost always find something to complain about.  At the end of the day, a collection of positive experiences or thoughts is going to go a long way toward making your life fun, fulfilling, and enjoyable.

Realize that most complaints do little to improve a situation.  Instead of complaining look for positive, practical solutions to the problem.  A complaint about a work procedure may seem like a step in the right direction, but it goes nowhere fast if you don't follow through with helping to find a solution.  Rather than count on complaining to change things, offer suggestions.  Complaints are like roadblocks they will remain until someone comes and move them.  That someone is you and the word of God.