Stop Complaining

We’ve all done it! We've all mumbled or shouted complaints and accusations many times in our lives. Right? Whether it’s about someone who slighted us or more mundane complaints about the thickening traffic and such. Some persons caterwaul and bellyache day in and day out, almost every time they see you. Don't hold your breath about them changing into better moods or becoming more positive persons. We all know someone that is a “happy person” And even the happiest of people complain once in a while. But I've never known a chronic complainer that was a happy person. Have you?

Philippians 2:14-15, ERV, tells us, “Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you will be blameless and pure, children of God without any fault. But you are living with evil people all around you, who have lost their sense of what is right.”

Griping, even though it may come naturally, isn’t necessarily a good release. Stewing over negative feelings, and reinforcing them through constant discussions can contribute to paralyzing depressions.” This happens because the more you do something, or repeat negative thoughts, the more entrenched that atmosphere becomes in enveloping your brain. Thus you will continue to do it more and more. Certainly, all that is a downward spiral.

A person might believe that constantly complaining might be an expedient way to relive frustrations but that is seldom true. Yes, “popping your cork” once in a great while can also be a useful tool in soothing the savage inclinations that resided within us. In short, yes, it can be a relief to get things off your chest once in a while, but there’s a right way to do it.

Doing it right starts with understanding how the word “complaining” is frequently exploited to describe a mixed bag of ill behaviors, some more noxious than others. Separating these distinctions varies between so-called experts, but there are roughly three concepts; venting, problem solving, or over-lengthy contemplation. Knowing which behavior you’re engaging in, why, and with what purpose can help you put in place good habits that will not only make your complaining less frequent but modify your emotional health and build stronger relationships with the people you care for, as well as total strangers.

In general, we’re not very good at expressing our individual feelings, so it’s pretty common to complain in order to express negative feelings.” And since, “any time we are sharing emotional content with someone, that is either a vehicle for brooding or bonding. It seems, more today than yesterday's past that we’re especially fond of and more adroit at using complaining as a social tool. For those of you that Tweet or Twitter, have you noticed the ratio of negative texts to the more positive ones? Since I do not tweet or twitter, I can only hazard a guess that it is about 10 to 1 in favor of the negative expressions.

“Internet Friends” do feel closer to one another, as complaints that correspond to their communal ways of thinking blend. Still, this comes with a serious warning; complaining, as the primary focus in our relationships, can make us dwell on our problems for longer, triggering several stress-related responses. Friendships built over mutual dissatisfaction can also prove brittle when one of the participant's problems can not be resolved and the other party wants to interject their negative thoughts on different matters and you are unable to get in a word edgewise.

Throughout any era of history, believers have complained about this or that on a daily basis. What does the Bible offer as advice about complaining? As a matter of curiosity, if we complain, are we living by God’s commands. While we are motivated to live in His Word today, we also realize we are now in a complain-heavy culture. We constantly hear or see complaints from every corner of society, and that makes it vital to our mental and spiritual health to understand what God says on this topic. Moreover, we must understand it is essential to access His power to resist the press of the crowd and exit the ever-widening whiny road.

Powerful peer pressure to join the carping, moaning and groaning is insanely intense. Even within the church, or competing churches, complaining and grumbling often run rampant. Just click your remote to the news channel or scroll through your social media offerings. Remember when you used to go to work and at the lunch break sat down at a dining table? It didn't take long before someone began to complain about something or everything. How can we resist? God’s Word has the answer.

Does the Bible Talk about Complaining? Absolutely! God knows our flaws and is aware of our reoccurring shortfalls. Originally, God created Adam and Eve to be completely contented. To be satisfied with God and all that He provides. But then Satan entered in, and sin begins. Today, it seems, we are tempted to continual dissatisfaction, constantly re-chewing and regurgitating all that doesn't correspond to our particular perspective.