The Word says much about the words of our mouth, but today I want to focus on complaining...or "murmuring" as the Bible calls it.
The Israelites really got on God's last nerve with their constant murmuring and complaining. It didn't matter what He did, how miraculously He provided for them, they found something to complain about. Finally, He'd had enough when they complained about the Promised Land. At that point He condemned them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years until all those over 20 years old, with the exception of two who did NOT complain, were dead.
And if you think that because we live in a time of grace that there's no more consequences of murmuring and complaining, you might want to rethink that idea.
1Co 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
When we murmur and complain, we are opening ourselves up to being vulnerable to the Destroyer...the Devil and his demons. We bring it on ourselves.
So What Are You Supposed to Say About Your Problems?
NOTHING! Or at least nothing that might be interpreted by the hearer as being a complaint.
First of all, no one wants to hear you complaining, because they've got their own problems!
Second, your own words can condemn you to staying in those awful circumstances.
Third, complaining ruins your testimony among the brethren.
When you are tempted to start complaining learn to ask yourself:
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Eph 4:29
Do you know that the meaning of "corrupt" is "rotten" and "worthless"?
Is what I'm about to say, praising?
The Israelites really got on God's last nerve with their constant murmuring and complaining. It didn't matter what He did, how miraculously He provided for them, they found something to complain about. Finally, He'd had enough when they complained about the Promised Land. At that point He condemned them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years until all those over 20 years old, with the exception of two who did NOT complain, were dead.
And if you think that because we live in a time of grace that there's no more consequences of murmuring and complaining, you might want to rethink that idea.
1Co 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
When we murmur and complain, we are opening ourselves up to being vulnerable to the Destroyer...the Devil and his demons. We bring it on ourselves.
So What Are You Supposed to Say About Your Problems?
NOTHING! Or at least nothing that might be interpreted by the hearer as being a complaint.
First of all, no one wants to hear you complaining, because they've got their own problems!
Second, your own words can condemn you to staying in those awful circumstances.
Third, complaining ruins your testimony among the brethren.
When you are tempted to start complaining learn to ask yourself:
Is what I'm about to say, edifying?
Do you know that the meaning of "corrupt" is "rotten" and "worthless"?
Is what I'm about to say, praising?
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. Php 4:8
