'...The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them...' 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT
'Could do better!' Ever had that written on your school report by a well-meaning teacher? Ever been told by a parent that you need to 'try harder?' Has someone called you a 'waste of space' or told you 'you're not good enough'?
It can be really difficult to walk around carrying other people's opinions about yourself. Maybe you say to yourself, 'It doesn't matter what they think, what do they know?' But truthfully we all know that words sometimes stick to us like glue and we very easily end up agreeing with them.
What do you believe about yourself today? How many negative things do you say about yourself, or worse, actually believe to be true? When people put us down or when we don't fit in with the stereotypes of perfection that the media portrays, we can start to believe that we are 'nothing' or 'nobody'. We can feel unloved, unwanted, useless, an 'it'-something of no significance.
'...The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them...' He sees you as you really are: His perfect creation packed full of potential!You are someone He has chosen. He has things only you can do-there's no one else better for the job! That's how brilliant you are to God. Look at yourself through God's eyes today-see how terrific you really are.
In John 13:34-35, Jesus instructed us—His followers—to love others: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."As Christians, learning to walk in love should be a very high priority.
Unfortunately, we often love others only superficially—that is, we talk love, but don't live love. James 2:15-16 addresses this problem: "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?"
If you say that you love someone, but don't express it by what you do, then that "love" is worthless. Indeed, it isn't even real love.
Likewise, 1 John 3:17-18 asks, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." Here again, we are instructed to love with actions—not just with our mouth.
Follow the instructions of Jesus: love one another. However, remember that real love must be accompanied by actions, because love unexpressed is not love at all.
Weekly Wisdoms for the week of August 16, 2010 http://www.christnotes.org/ww.php?d=2010-08-16
Moan, moan, moan, whinge, whinge, whinge, whine, whine, whine! Complaining; we hear it all the time and come on, be honest, you do it too, right?
'Oh no I don't!' we protest to anyone who dares accuse us of arguing. We can do it so often we don't even realise we're doing it. 'It wasn't me, it was her.' Or, 'He made me do it, it's not my fault.' Sound familiar? They're actually excuses like those used by Adam and Eve. Can you believe it? Even the first two humans, living in the lap of luxury with God, found something to beef about!
As soon as they ate that forbidden fruit they were arguing and moaning about whose fault it was. It didn't help then (they both got chucked out of paradise) and it doesn't help now either. That's why God says to you today, 'Do everything without complaining...' He knows it gets us nowhere. He knows we'll only end up making things worse for ourselves.
Read Exodus or Numbers, and you'll hear God's people whinging big time! Paul warns us not to fall into the same trap: 'Do not complain as some of them did; they were killed by the angel that destroys. The things that happened to those people are examples...written down to teach us...' (1 Corinthians 10:10-11 NCV) So clean up your verbal act! Decide to detect, reject and eject all complaining language from your vocabulary.
Stop complaining and start gaining (2)
God says: 'Do everything without complaining ...' because complaining is toxic. It's poisonous! It damages and contaminates! There is nothing good about it. It acts like a drug dealer, giving people a taste so before they know it, they're hooked. The more you do it, the more you want to do it, and the harder it is to stop-it's addictive. Inject 'complaint poison' into your life and eventually it will 'toxify' every bit of it. Subtly, it will pollute all your relationships, your church, your family, your neighbourhood.
Sometimes we think we have to moan and complain. We think there is only one option and that's to sound off. But do the maths-nothing positive can come from a negative.
Complaining is a cop-out, it's what we do to avoid facing a problem. It actually makes us part of the problem instead of the solution. And ultimately, your complaining affects you more than anyone else. The Psalmist said, '...I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed...' (Psalm 77:3 NKJ) Every time you act like a Moaning Minnie you reinforce the power of 'complaint poison' over you, making yourself the victim of your own lethal complaints. Before you say anything stop and think. Then 'do all things without complaining...'
Stop complaining and start gaining (3)
Come on, be honest-did you read the verse for today and think: 'They're not still on about complaining, are they?' And then did you have a quick look, see that we're going to be reading the same verse for another three days and think, 'You've got to be kidding! Do we really have to hear about it for a whole six days? Enough already! "Stop moaning"-I get it!'
Well, if that's the case, you'll know why we're keeping at it! Because it's so easy to moan about anything! Even word4U2day!
In order to start or stop doing anything, we need to know why. What's the point? What's in it for me? God never asks us to do something without it benefiting us. Listen: '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.' (Philippians 2:14-15 NIV)
When the stars are out, it is impossible not to notice them. They look amazing, they stand out! You don't just glance at them. You watch them because they are truly beautiful. When we pack in our moaning, sulky, argumentative behaviour, God says we will stand out. We'll be noticed, we'll be as impressive as the stars. Everyone will be able to see God in us. Now that's worth doing, right?
Stop complaining and start gaining (4)
What's your attitude been like this week? Have you honestly been trying to 'Do everything without complaining'? Has it been easy to do? Or are you thinking, 'It's impossible, I can't do it! See-I'm even moaning about moaning now!'
Well, be encouraged today. You need to remember that God never asks us to do anything without helping us to do it. 'You are tempted in the same way all other human beings are. God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted any more than you can take. But when you are tempted, God will give you a way out so that you can stand up under it.' (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV) So next time you're about to get in a strop, simmer down and talk to God first. Ask Him to show you a better way, then take it.
But what if your complaint is legit? After all, injustice, abuse, betrayal, robbery, gossip, lies, prejudice, physical harm against you or your family are legitimate causes for complaint, right? So you can't just sit back and do nothing, can you? Jesus says, 'You are the light of the world...people do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand. Then it gives light to everyone... In the same way, let your light shine in front of others.' (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV) We need to always do things God's way. So, don't 'mouth off' without first talking to God about the best thing to do in your situation.
Stop complaining and start gaining (5)
When someone hurts you, your temptation will be to tell everybody and have a right good moan! It feels acceptable, justified, and even therapeutic. Well-meaning friends will encourage it and maybe even help you publicise it. 'You'll feel better when you've got it off your chest,' they'll say. But God says, 'Do everything without complaining...' Even when you're cheesed off, had enough and just can't take it anymore! When someone hurts you, God says we need to have some 1-2-1 time and wrap it in kindness:
(1) 1-2-1 time: In other words, no putting an ad in the paper 'naming and shaming'. 'If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offence. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.' (Matthew 18:15 NLT)
(2) Wrapped in kindness: So, no barging in like Mr Angry, shouting in their face, ready to head-butt them. '...speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ...' (Ephesians 4:15 NLT)
Remember your goal is not to humiliate them or to get revenge, but rather to sort out the problem, resolve your differences, strengthen your relationship, and honour God.
Even when we do everything right and deliver the best 1-2-1 time wrapped in kindness ever, it will only resolve itself if the other person responds well. But this doesn't mean you now have a right to get all stroppy. God always has the best next step, so listen to Him.
Stop complaining and start gaining (6)
Here are three final thoughts on complaining:
SALSA: Stop Accusing Loudly, Start Asking. No one likes it when we go about shooting our mouths off. People either become aggressive towards us or completely ignore us. However legitimate your gripe, all people will hear and see is a complainer. This will greatly reduce the chance of a good outcome. Whatever the cause: 'SALSA!' You're more likely to get what you ask for if you do it graciously, rather than beef on about it. Asking for help-or for understanding, or to share how you feel, or for someone to do things differently-avoids arguments, stops you wasting time raking over the past about things that can't be changed and always brings a better result.
Back off: Once you've said it, now let God work. Changing people is God's job, so back off, be patient and give Him a chance. Get out of God's way and let Him do what you can't. He has ways and means you've never dreamed of. When He's allowed to take over the job, it gets done properly.
Do a Joey: No sitting around biting your tongue, seething when things don't go to plan. Take a lesson from Joseph. He had every reason to complain about his family and to take revenge. Instead, he kept focused on God and looked to see how he could become part of the solution. It works! Joseph's family was reunited, and God gave him some amazing things to do with his life.
People who live in affluence for all of life (such as many people in North America and Western Europe) can easily become so accustomed to wealth, blessings, and prosperity that they can easily forget what blessings they actually have. However, if those possessions are taken away, those people will certainly look at life with a new perspective, realizing how much they really had.
You don't realize how much you have until you don't have it anymore.
God knows the importance of balance; that is, the importance of having both blessings and difficulties. There are several scriptures that speak about this balance. For example in 1 Peter 4:13, we are told: Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. Notice how we participate both in suffering and in joy.
Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 1:7, Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth: And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. They experienced both suffering and comfort.
Don't become too comfortable with what you have, because when you forget that the things you have are a blessing from God and when you start to assume that they are guaranteed possessions, it is quite possible that God will take them away from you in order to teach you that you need both blessings and difficulties, because one without the other is neither.
Weekly Wisdoms for the week of August 9, 2010 http://www.christnotes.org/ww.php?d=2010-08-09
