Complaining is easy. In
fact, complaining can be downright fun and satisfying, especially if we find
someone who will commiserate with us! I
believe that complaining can easily become a habit and destroy our positive
attitude and goal-achieving efforts. When
we decide to look at everything around us through a lens of criticism and complaint,
we miss the blessings in our lives and the progress we have made toward accomplishing
our goals.
During November, I experienced a complaining and blaming
mindset. I began to feel really
disappointed that 2016 is coming to an end and I will not accomplish all of my goals. I will not finish writing a book (my number
one goal)! I blamed a lot of things: I don’t have enough control over my own time,
I underestimated the time and effort it takes to write a book, and my biggest
complaint of all… time goes by way too fast!
Thankfully, I pulled myself out of that depressing
mindset. I decided (yes… DECIDED) to be
grateful and thank God for the blessings in my life and the progress I have
made toward my goals!
The complaining and blaming mindset would have led me down
the path of disappointment and ultimately giving up on my goals. I probably would have stopped writing this
blog. I would end up just going through
life with no goals… and I would still be complaining that time goes by too
fast!
The grateful mindset leads me to continue to pursue my
goals. I can’t control time and how fast
it goes by. But when I look back at
2016, I see that I made great progress on three books, and I have enjoyed
writing and editing! I’m thrilled and
eager to continue working on my book projects, as well as sharing my experience
and goal-setting ideas through this blog.
Guess what my main goal is for 2017?
I plan to finish writing a book!
Oh, what a difference one decision can make in your life! You can complain and become very disappointed
in your life, or you can choose gratitude!
Here are some ideas to help you choose gratitude:
● Write
down 25 things in your life for which you are grateful. Yes, you can come up with 25 things! Keep the list handy and refer to it when you
are feeling down or when you feel tempted to complain.
● Pray to God and thank Him for your blessings, and with thankfulness, ask Him for what you need. (See Philippians 4:6-7.)
● Read aloud a Psalm. Most of the Psalms are filled with praise and thankfulness. You may be familiar with the twenty-third Psalm (“The Lord is my shepherd…”). Read Psalm 136 and underline each place that says, “His love endures forever.” Read Psalm 139 aloud!
Devotion
Give thanks to the
Lord, for he is good. His love endures
forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1, 26
Prayer:
Lord, help me not to
worry or be disappointed about my goal progress. Instead, I thank you for helping me to take
the steps I took this year toward my goals.
When I feel tempted to complain and add up disappointments, help me to
remember that I should add up my blessings.
It is a choice, and I choose gratitude!
Thank you, Lord, for teaching us through your Word that you are worthy
of praise and thankfulness. In Jesus’
name, Amen.
