In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. –1 Thessalonians 5:18
What is the cure for complaining? In a word, it is gratitude. The cure for complaining is focusing on what God has done instead of what He hasn’t done. I think it’s tragic that after the Israelites’ songs of praise in Exodus 15, there is not a single recorded instance of the Israelites expressing heartfelt gratitude to God on their journey–only complaining and thanklessness. Pastor Mark Buchanan wrote that he once found himself stewing in thanklessness while doing mission work in Uganda. The local Christians gathered for worship every Sunday evening, but one Sunday he didn’t want to join. He was upset with someone on his team. He didn’t like the food. He was annoyed by the music. He wrote, “I was miserable, and I wanted to wallow in it.” Then the pastor of the Ugandan church asked if anyone had something to share. One woman came to the front and said, “Oh, brothers and sisters, I love Jesus so much!” The congregation shouted for more. So the woman continued, “He is so good. I praise Him all the time for how good He is. For three months, I prayed to Him for shoes. And look!” She revealed one of her feet. “He gave me shoes!” The congregation clapped and whistled and praised God loudly. “But not me,” Buchanan wrote. “I was devastated. I sat there broken and grieving. In an instant, God snapped me out of my self-pity and plunged me into repentance. In all my life, I had not once prayed for shoes. It never even crossed my mind. And in all my life, I had not even once thanked God for the many, many shoes I had. Thanklessness becomes its own prison.” Gratitude is the key that releases us from the prison of complaining and thanklessness. When you are tempted to complain about a loved one, take a moment to thank God for putting that person in your life. When you are tempted to complain about your job, thank God for providing a way for you to earn a living. We need to remember all the good things God has done for us. Thanks be to God for what He has done and for His undeserved blessings on our lives! (Jeffress)
