Complaining and Arguing
Over the past year I have been trying to make a concentrated effort to be light for God (Matt. 5:14) in my office. The main thing I’ve been trying to do better is to not complain when something goes wrong, like Paul says in Philippians 2:14-15, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.”
However, when something does go wrong I find myself getting easily sucked back into the complaining game with my other co-workers and in all honesty, I have failed in this area numerous times. When I first read Philippians 2:14 this past week I thought, “Man that is tough!” Paul says to do “everything” without complaining or arguing. He doesn’t say do only your chores without complaining or do not argue with your boss at work only, or do not complain about bad traffic only. Paul says we are to not complain or argue in everything we do. Let me say that again, in “EVERYTHING” we do.
Additionally, the American culture screams out that it is our given right to complain or argue about anything. What our culture says contradicts the Word of God and makes this concept of not arguing or complaining even harder to grasp because everyone else is saying it’s ok to do this. I thought to myself, “Could I really do this?” And therein lies the problem, “I” cannot do this, but God can do this through me. I realized that as soon as I began focusing on myself in difficult situations I succumbed to the flesh and I would find myself complaining or even arguing.
So I’m sure you are wondering, “Well how do I not focus on myself in these situations?” Paul tells us earlier in Philippians 2 that we must put on the attitude of Christ, meaning we must humble ourselves, put others needs before our own needs, and consider others better than ourselves. Humility means giving up self, taking the place of perfect nothingness before God. We must accept every humiliation and look upon every person who tries or troubles us as a means of grace to humble ourselves. As we are obedient to let God develop this habit of humility through us the complaining and arguing will happen less and less in our lives.
There are two important things to note about Philippians 2 text above. First, Paul is talking to believers within the church of Philippi. This is important to know because Paul is stating that if the church cannot be united how is their testimony for Christ ever going to be effective in the community where they lived, the Philippians needed to set some things straight in their own assembly first. With that said, this concept of not complaining or arguing is as true in church, as it is out of the church community, but we must first get this right with our own brothers and sisters.
Second, if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ you will not be able to do “EVERYTHING” without complaining and arguing because you do not have the Holy Spirit living within you. Please check out my testimony if you want to discover how to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
