Replace Complaints With Thanks
"Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp."
-- Numbers 11:1
Are you a complainer? Most people would probably say "Not really" or "I rarely complain." Are you sure? Some folks complain constantly -- so much, in fact, that they don't even hear themselves anymore. It's just habit. They see bad where some see good. They see a problem where others see a challenge or opportunity.
God doesn't like complainers. When we complain, we lose sight of all the many blessings He has given us. Nobody likes to have their gifts thrown back at them. Including God. Oh, don't be so quick to deny it. Think about the times you complain each day. It doesn't have to be something major. Maybe you complain because your car is old and you'd like a new one. Wouldn't we all? But you have a car and it's running. God has blessed you with something some people don't have. Thank Him for it.
What about your home? Is it large enough? Need any updates? New furniture? We'd all like to make changes in our homes from time to time. Sometimes we even need a new roof or stove. But God blesses us that we have a home that is safe and secure. Some people are homeless. Some people live in tents. Some people live in crime-infested neighborhoods where gunshots ring out in the night.
It's certainly okay to want more than we have. That's just part of being human. But it isn't okay to take for granted what we do have. It isn't okay to go through your day complaining about all you don't have and refusing to acknowledge the many blessings from God. We have many things to be thankful for each day. Don't be like the Israelites who complained so much that God refused to let them enter the Promise Land. Thank God for all He has given you. Who knows? Maybe you'll even find yourself complaining less and smiling more. Imagine that!
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