Christian Support Group Community Group
This is a place for everyone who loves Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (or those who are seeking Him), to come and discuss important issues in their lives and find support from fellow believers in regards to their faith and life. We uphold the Bible and living a Christ-like life, not as a way to heaven, but as a reflection of our love for God.
Hey Everyone,
So lately my ears have been opened to how much complaining goes around our culture. I really can't even believe how much people just aren't happy with all they have!
Philippians 2:14-15 (NIV) says "14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 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" Can we please just look over that again? It did say WITHOUT complaining right? It is really easy to focus on what we don't have and not appreciate what we do have but scripture says we need to do the exact opposite!
Now, Non-Christian people are not held to this standard and I think we need to remember that as well. They have not accepted the Bible as their guide as we have so we can't hold them to the same standard. However, Philippians goes on to say that we should shine like stars in this broken generation. So although we can't hold others to our standards we also can't let them drag us down with them. Negativity is like a disease that spreads from one person to another through complaints! We need to be the ones who stop the infection by stopping the complaints.
This song has been my anthem over this last year and I think its something everyone should hear.
You Are Joy by Warr Acres
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69c8WCrQPRU
So lately my ears have been opened to how much complaining goes around our culture. I really can't even believe how much people just aren't happy with all they have!
Philippians 2:14-15 (NIV) says "14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 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" Can we please just look over that again? It did say WITHOUT complaining right? It is really easy to focus on what we don't have and not appreciate what we do have but scripture says we need to do the exact opposite!
Now, Non-Christian people are not held to this standard and I think we need to remember that as well. They have not accepted the Bible as their guide as we have so we can't hold them to the same standard. However, Philippians goes on to say that we should shine like stars in this broken generation. So although we can't hold others to our standards we also can't let them drag us down with them. Negativity is like a disease that spreads from one person to another through complaints! We need to be the ones who stop the infection by stopping the complaints.
This song has been my anthem over this last year and I think its something everyone should hear.
You Are Joy by Warr Acres
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69c8WCrQPRU
I find it is much harder to complain when you go looking for the good in things and people, much harder to become dissatisfied.
counting my blessings first thing in mornining and praising god for each one.
Yes there is loads I could complain about, like my hiusbands growing list of half done projects but I enjoyed the timehe spent with me and oour family instead of dooing that work. and it hasnt harmed us one little bit.
love to all!
We are to be real and we do hurt., but sppmetimes we get pretty petty about stuff,and it overshadows what we should be on guard about what we should be standing against.And I am guilty of that.
Of course you are allowed to be human. I'm well aware that I'm human and have genuine problems but seeking counsel from others is different from complaining. When things get tough, the Bible encourages us to seek fellowship with other believers because we live in a broken world and need encouragement. However, complaining is when we just sit and fester in our problems and don't wanna do anything about it, yet we don't like where we're at so we complain and hope other people will baby us instead of trying to help get us where we need to be.
The key between complaining and seeking counsel is really just giving yourself a heart check and looking to see what your motives are. If you have no intention of taking advice, then your probably complaining. If you are going through something hard and just need to talk through the issue with someone who can help you work it out, then your probably seeking counsel.
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
The word "transformed" is metamorpho in Greek, and it is the imperative passive tense. That means that although God commands us to do it, he is the one transforming us. In other words, we cooperate with the Holy Spirit.
Part of the transformation, is that our words and even our very thoughts have to change. So yes, we are not perfect, but if we complain a lot, then maybe that is something God is commanding us to change, but by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
Paul continues in Philippians, with the reminder to think good thoughts! This is my latest memory verse.
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." Phil 4:8-9
We won't be perfect until Christ returns, and then he will complete the process.
"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2
I don't know about the rest of you, but this post is making me examine my heart and attitudes. I want to shine like a star, so people are seeing Christ in me! Then they will want to know Jesus too!
So some beautiful verses that Salena has given us to memorize, ponder or meditate upon! Just what I needed to hear this evening!
Joyce Meyer always preaches about how God got angry at the Jews in the desert for complaining about the mannah that He sent down for them to eat. This also makes me want to rethink the complaining part of myself.
Attitude is a big part of getting through life well, but I have to mention that if we don't have enough seretonin in our bodies, it's really difficult to be happy ever. Effexor helped me for about 7 of the last 9 years, but now it's not doing near as much, and sadness sits on top of me a lot.
However, I'm going to stop complaining and go to a counselor and get an MD to reeavaulate my pills, as I can't seem to do life hardly at all without some seretonin. No amout of happy thoughts or comedies or laughter seems to help if there's no joy juice at all in my brain. LOL!