A Thankful Heart or a Complaining Tongue?

To Trust or Not to Trust

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 118:1

Let me ask you this: If you were to make a list of all the things that irritate you, would it be a long list? Do you talk a lot about the things that bug you? I can certainly think of a few irritating things. There doesn’t seem to be an end to negative news these days and the people that want to talk about it over and over. It’s easy to see how our minds and our mouths can become negative!

When we trust God instead of complaining, we give God an opportunity to work on our behalf. If we complain, we miss out on His provision!

That is what happened to the Israelites who God delivered from slavery in Egypt. God planned to bring His people through the wilderness into a land flowing with milk and honey. But they angered God by complaining.

Even though they had seen God part the Red Sea and destroy Egypt's mighty army, they quickly forgot God's just-in-time deliverance. Because of their complaining and disbelief, the Red Sea generation wandered in the desert for 40 years until they all died. They missed out on the wonderful things God had in store for them. The only exceptions were Joshua and Caleb, who trusted God and brought back a positive report of the land God had promised.

Complaining about your circumstances is a sin because it is actually unbelief. When you complain, you are not trusting in what God has promised and you are not agreeing with God’s Word. Consider this: There are giants to conquer in the land of God's abundance. One of the biggest giants is complaining about your circumstances.

Philippians 2:14-15 says, "Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God."

You may have noticed that life isn’t perfect and people aren’t perfect. We live in a fallen world. So how do we be happy and thankful when we are surrounded by imperfection and things that irritate us? By renewing our minds in the Word of God.

Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Complaining is much more difficult when you focus your thoughts on things that are pure, lovely, just and of good report. By doing what Philippians 4:8 says, we are actually positioning ourselves to receive God’s abundance to be poured out in our lives.

Being thankful is a choice! You can change a complaining tongue to a thankful heart. One of the best things about thankfulness is that the more you choose it, the easier it gets. The more you profess gratitude, the more you notice things to be grateful for. The thankfulness muscles respond to exercise!

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy. Psalm 107:21-22

Despite our circumstances, we truly have so much to be thankful for. As we are thankful, God pours out His Grace on us in the form of blessing, provision and favour. What a wonderful and mighty God we serve. I choose to be thankful, will you?