Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily DevotionalSample

Complaining Is a Sin! In Ephesians 4:29, the apostle Paul instructs us not to use any foul or polluting language. At one time, I didn't realize that this included complaining, but I have since learned that murmuring and complaining pollute our lives. Plain and simple, complaining is a sin! It causes many people a great deal of problems in their lives and destroys the joy of anyone listening. We need to ask ourselves, how quick are we to become impatient and begin to complain when stuck in traffic or while waiting in checkout lanes in grocery stores or department stores? How quick are we to spot and point out all the faults of our friends or family members? Do we complain about our job when we should be thanking God that we have one? The best antidote for complaining is thanksgiving. Truly thankful people do not complain. They are too busy being grateful for all the good things they have that they have no time to notice the things they could complain about. The Bible says that we are to enter God's courts with praise and thanksgiving. You and I need to make it a daily goal to live a life of thanksgiving. Let's be as positive and grateful as possible. Try going to bed at night pondering everything you have to be thankful for. Let it be the first thing you do in the morning. Thank God for "little" things or things you might normally take for granted: a parking place, waking up in time for work, a meal, your family... Don't get discouraged when you fail, but don't throw in the towel and quit either. Keep at it until you have developed new habits and you are living with an attitude of gratitude. Be generous with your gratitude. It will sweeten your relationship with the Lord. Prayer Starter: God, I want to live with an attitude of gratitude, starting right now! I thank you so much for loving me and for blessing me. Help me see the positive things in life and to thank You for them.