His Encouragement: Without complaining and arguing

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Welcome! Welcome, dearest friends, to His Encouragement: Biblical Inspiration for Your Thursday. Every week, I join a few blogging friends to bring you a Bible passage and a little hope-filled discussion. We pray that these devotionals help you end your week strong in God’s love and purpose for you.

Today’s Scripture

Do everything without complaining and arguing…

Philippians 2:14, NLT

At the beginning of the month, I decided to accept Positive Thankliving’s 31 day challenge. They offered 31 different ideas for how to challenge yourself and achieve a goal. The best part is that you only needed to chose one and then do it every day for the whole month.

I chose “No complaining for 31 days”. I naively thought it would be easy.

After all, I do not complain much.

Or so I thought!

A sneaky habit

Once I really focused on what I said and how I said things all day long, I came to the startling realization that somehow over the recent years, I had unknowingly developed a habit of complaining.

While outwardly, it may have seemed like I do not complain, the truth is that I am a behind-closed-doors type of complainer. I complain to my husband. I complain to my dad. I even drop complaints in front of my boys, who are at such a tender age and easily influenced! Instead of focusing on the positive and displaying gratitude, I vent and share my frustrations.

Not only do I sap my own joy, but I then pass that negativity on to the people I am closest to and care about the most! Now my oldest is starting to copy me.

For the last seventeen days, I have been more observant of my tendencies and more vigilant to halt complaints. However, I admit that I have completely failed the challenge on a number of occasions. In the heat of the moment, I have groaned, grumbled, and even lashed out once.

Where there valid reasons for most of these moments of “failure”? Sure. Let’s be honest: it is hard not to complain at all.

The real point

But that is not really the point. As the days passed, I discovered that this exercise is much more than just focusing on the words coming out of my mouth. It is about the attitude with which I embrace the day. Am I tired? Overwhelmed? Negative? Looking for reasons to grumble?

Or am I joyful, appreciative, and looking for blessings?

Life is hard. It has its ups and downs. Sometimes we get stuck in the downs and they keep pulling us further and further down. However, the Lord does not want us to remain stuck way down there in the pit of despair and negativity. He offers His hand to pull us up.

One way He lifts us up is to obey the teachings in His Word. Philippians 2:14 gently reminds us: “Do everything without complaining and arguing”. Some translations use the word “grumbling”. Basically, what the apostle Paul is telling us here is that we need to become more conscious of our attitude, our mindset, and our words.

Why? “[S]o that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” (Philippians 2:15)

I want to be a bright light shining for God in a world of darkness, sadness, and pain. Will you join me?

Philippians 2:14 reminds us to do everything without complaining and arguing. Let's be more conscious of our words and attitudes. Let's choose joy… even on the hard days. Click To Tweet

What verse has touched your heart this week? Share in the comments below!

Be sure to also visit my fellow bloggers and read their encouragement for your Thursday as well:

• Trisha of Joy of Reading
• Nicole of The Christian Fiction Girl
• Jessica of A Baker’s Perspective
• Becca of The Becca Files
• Gina of Stories by Gina
• Rev. Rebecca Writes
• Andi of Radiant Light
• Leslie of Words of Hope
• Claudia of By Claudia Moser
• Keneesha of Women Loving God’s Way

Hi there, blogger. Would you like to join us in sharing encouragement from the Word of God every Thursday? Don’t be shy! Contact Trisha or Nicole today!

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