What in the world are you complaining about?

March 13, 2014: What in the world are you complaining about? Please “Share” this new Precious Prodigal Post: http://bit.ly/1iKKuzN

James 5:9 (NIV) “Don’t grumble against one another…”

We’ve been looking at our words this week. I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but these things haven’t been easy to look at, and today’s “eye-opener” wasn’t any easier for me. I’m talking about the grumbling.

Grumble: “to complain or protest about something in a bad-tempered but typically muted way.” Now, wait a minute! If our lives are crazy because of someone, are we supposed to just swallow that and never mention it? Of course not. It’s important that we let some of that pain out, and a burden shared is only half as heavy as carrying it alone. But there’s a right time and person and place for sharing that pain. And it isn’t all the time to everyone and in every public place.

You know someone, I’m sure, who doesn’t have a positive thing to say about anyone or anything. She’s that individual you’re afraid to ask, “How are you doing?” for fear she’ll tell you. She not only sees the glass as half empty, but she also sees the water spots on the glass. Unable to see each day as a gift or to find joy in the moment, she moans and murmurs about how awful her life is. And seeing herself as both a victim and a martyr, she’s unable or unwilling to do anything about it. You can’t help a person like that.

But I’m not talking about her or the other people who choose to live their lives in abject misery. I’m talking about people like you and me, who are facing real life challenges, who are in real pain, and who want something better than to stay trapped in negativity. The fact is, if anyone has a “right” to complain or murmur, it’s those of us who love a prodigal. However, if we’re not careful, we will find our negative circumstances shaping our thoughts and our words until we sound like the very people we try to avoid.

The solution for many people is to find a support group that will listen sympathetically and then encourage them to focus on the solution rather than the problem. Some people suggest having a sponsor or one or two trusted friends, who will do the same thing. The Serenity Prayer reminds us to accept the things we cannot change and to change the things we can. For me, part of the solution is to focus on the many real blessings in my life…even in the wilderness of loving a prodigal. In part, I do that by posting at the end of each day on FB the things for which I’m grateful. Grumbling is hateful, and one of the truisms of life is that you can’t be hateful and grateful at the same time.

I truly want the “the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart” to be acceptable to the Lord. If that’s going to happen, however, it’s not going to be by accident. It will mean working on the thoughts that shape the words.

Challenge for Today: Can you, just for today, choose to be positive and see the many ways God is blessing you?