conquering the habit of complaining…

as you know complaining is a kill-joy.  it makes you unhappy, everybody else around you unhappy.  but the problem is that it is a hard habit to break.   

now the bible says GOD wants CHRISTians to be different.  philippians 2.14-15 (niv),  do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of GOD without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

now today i want to start here on the front porch in our pursuit on how you can conquer this habit of complaining. what are the steps?  what does GOD’s word have to say about dealing with this habit?  but before i do i want to share with you some common types of complainers. 

now the bible is full of classic examples of complaining.  you will want to be honest with yourself in this to see which one identifies you. 

the first one is the “whiner” the example is david.  these people wake up negative.  they may rise but they will not shine.  they rise and whine.  

there was this guy who was asked, “do you wake up grouchy and he said, no i let her sleep.”

now there are two approaches to life.  good morning, LORD, good LORD it’s morning. 

the whiner and david whines all through the psalms.  psalm 73.13 (lb) is an example of this, have i been wasting my time? why take all the trouble to be pure?  all i get out of it is trouble and woe.

david is saying, hey how come the bad guys are prospering?  at least i’ve been trying to live for GOD and i don’t get any breaks.  have you ever felt like that?

that’s the first kind of complainer that GOD wants to change.

just a thought from the front porch…