WHAT COMPLAINING WILL GET YOU

 Do you ever stop and listen to yourself?  If I honestly think over what is coming out of my mouth recently, I am astounded at how much time I am spending complaining about this or that. Do  you know what complaining will get you?-----ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!  What is to be gained by complaining?  

A lot of alone time, because everyone will begin to avoid you.  I seriously doubt any of us want to hear a constant stream of complaints.  When we find ourselves in conversation after conversation laced with complaints, it is time to evaluate the complainer.  What is the true source of discontentment.

A unhealthy sense of "woe is me" is  better known as narcissism.  When we begin to focus of our own navels, we lose the balance which comes with the realization of ALL we have to be grateful for.  Most of us who live in the "first world" have little to complain about.  In fact, I would dare to say, we have truly little to complain about--even in the midst of our struggles.  NOW---I know some struggle, some have huge problems, some are dealing with a LOT--but in our country we have an abundance of sources of help.  So, perhaps instead of complaining, we should be seeking solutions.

The final point while pondering my complaining spirit is the real cause of my complaints can almost always be traced back to me.  I bring a lot of things on myself!  Someone misdoes me---I allowed it.  Things went wrong---I am the one who has the ability of oversight.  If you carefully evaluate--we have control over our reaction to any action.  Am I going to do something about it, or just sit around and complain to anyone who will listen?

In concluding today's post, I will quote a licensed therapist whom I met after my first move to Fort Worth over ten years ago.  She is one of those that when you meet them  you immediately know she is a delight.  Having watched her journey to now being a professional therapist with her own practice, I greatly admire her and love this quote from one of her posts~

"After three months in private practice as a licensed therapist listening to "first-world problems," it is crystal clear that we are playing the same game of life!  It's almost comical that we each deal with the SAME life mess!  Same game, just different players at different playing times.  The outcome is based on how we see the circumstances and what we are willing to do to address them.

Expectations are premediated disappointments!  We cannot change anyone, ever.  Love covers but it does NOT correct issues.

Face stuff to fix it.  Shame wastes energy, time, and life (that you can not get back) as it can do nothing but keep you sick with/of stuff."

BOOM!  PROFOUND!

"But godliness with contentment is great gain."

I Timothy 6:6