Someone once wrote, “The person with the discontented heart has the attitude that everything he does for God is too much, and everything God does for him is too little.” It’s very difficult to be around whining, complaining, and negative people. Yet at times we all find ourselves in that position.

I’ve even noticed that complaining seems to come naturally. Interacting with people, I discover more frowns than smiles, more gossip than encouragement, and more complaints than optimistic remarks. Listening to local and world news doesn’t help either. It seems consumed by complaints about racial prejudice, social injustice, world conflict, and politicians who haven’t fulfilled campaign promises. We even complain about complaining.

Complaining is contagious. An otherwise happy and optimistic group can be infected by one person who feels that life has soured on them. What began as a festive occasion can be transformed into a negative session about the unfairness of life.

The Lord’s people are not exempt from catching the complaining spirit. Moses had the opportunity to lead God’s people from slavery to their promised land. What began as an encouraging situation soon succumbed to a complaining spirit. Instead of ecstasy over their deliverance, the people whined. Throughout their sojourn through the desert, the children of Israel found themselves directing their discontent at Moses and ultimately God. They complained about the miracle nourishment that was sent by God. They whined about the report of the men sent into Canaan to spy out the land. They spoke of stoning Moses and Aaron.

The Psalmist describes this behavior vividly in Psalm 52:2: “Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.” Our words can bring life, or our words can bring death. And more importantly, our words are an outgrowth of the inner spirit. They express the bondage that many experience from constantly looking at the negative side of life experiences.

Journalist James Glassman declares that “a culture of complaint” has infected American society. Some Americans file complaints against food companies, seeking to hold a corporation responsible for making them fat. Others seek litigation against banks for lending them money even though they were a credit risk. There are complaints about overcrowding in schools, low paying jobs, and cheap foreign labor. The truth is that some of these complaints are unfounded or ignore offsetting blessings.

Remember when Jesus served His disciples communion the night He was taken away? Knowing that His hour had come, He took the bread and the cup, and He gave thanks. He gave thanks. Even in the midst of difficult circumstances we can choose to give thanks. It comes down to a choice.

Will I choose to speak words of gratefulness and gratitude? Or will I choose to speak words of complaint and dissatisfaction? Let’s not forget that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Let’s remember that we are to rejoice “in” all things—not “for” all things, but “in” all things. God is in control.

Devotional Prayer: Father, help me to live a grateful life, free from the bondage of a complaining spirit.