About Complaining....

"The very fact that you are a complainer, shows that you deserve your lot."  
James Allen

I wonder what he meant by suggesting that those who complain deserve the situation in which they find themselves.  The scripture is also clear about the results of complaining.  "They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord.  So he swore to them with uplifted hand that he would make them fall in the desert, make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands." (Psalm 106:25)  What can be so very wrong about complaining?  After all, the circumstances of our lives are never perfect and I suspect that almost everyone falls into the trap of complaining at least once in a while.  Well... complaining is the opposite of giving thanks. It is a sign of rebellion or anger against God for the circumstances of life.  To complain is to challenge God's wisdom and to suggest that he is not really looking after you.  The Israelites grumbled in the wilderness when they lacked food and water.  What God had wanted them to do was to turn to him to provide for them.  That would have been the true act of faith. When I am tempted to complain I make a conscious effort to instead, give thanks. I give thanks first for the obvious blessings that I have in my life and then second for the difficult circumstances I find myself in.  When I thank God for those difficult circumstances I am in fact acknowledging that he is still in control and that I trust he loves me enough to work all circumstances for my good.

Let's give up complaining and get busy thanking.