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Thinking about fall and in particular November.  The month of Thanksgiving.  Those few words just make me stop and think.  Am I thankful?  Am I unthankful?  Can I be thankful and unthankful at the same time?  What am I thankful for?  And am I expressing my thankfulness?  

All we ever need to do is listen to the words that are coming out of our mouths to determine the condition of our hearts and what we have been giving our eyes, ears, and focus to.  I read an article that said the average person gripes and complains between 15 and 30 times per day.  I personally think that number is a little low.  

The Lord arrested me in recent days regarding this sin called murmuring and complaining.  I’m not going to lie.  I was shocked how I had allowed myself to repeatedly be sucked in to this ungrateful sin that grieves the Lord.  I believe He takes it personally when we complain.  We’re telling Him that He’s not doing a very good job of taking care of us.  Regardless of what the complaint is about, isn’t it really saying, “Lord, you’re not enough”?  

The Bible tells us in Philippians 2:14 to do all things without murmuring and complaining.  All.  Things.  
kjv - Do all things without murmurings and disputings
amp - Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining
nlt - Do everything without complaining and arguing
Complaining is such a tell-tale sign on what is happening on the inside of us and the choices we are making.  WHO are we most aware of?  WHAT are we most aware of?  What are we believing?   

Gentle words cause life and health; griping brings discouragement.  Proverbs 15:4 LBT
Complaining demoralizes the hearers.  We hear what we say, and those around us hear what we say.  We just read that griping brings discouragement.  Want to eliminate discouragement in your life?  Stop griping!  Oh, we can do it!  We cannot be like Flip Wilson and proclaim, “The devil made me do it”.  Nope.  Our choice.  The devil can’t make us do anything.  You might just have to eliminate some relationships as well.  Gripe sessions should be huge red lights in our lives.  Don’t start one and don’t participate in one.  It brings discouragement to everyone!

Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.  Eph 4:29

Wow.  Only speech that is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others.  Speech that is a blessing and ministers grace to the hearers.  That’s our goal!  To be a blessing to others - to minister God’s grace - His help, His empowerment, His ability, His goodness to those around us.  And in doing so, our ears will be hearing the same thing and discouragement will be far from us!  


Let’s go on a journey this month.  A journey of thankfulness.  A journey where Ephesians 4:29 burns in our hearts and with the words of our mouths we empower the spiritual progress of others!