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- Apr 25, 2006
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Stop complaining and start gaining (5)
'Do everything without complaining ...' Philippians 2:14
When someone hurts you, your temptation will be to tell everybody and have a right good moan! It feels acceptable, justified, and even therapeutic. Well-meaning friends will encourage it, and maybe even help you publicise it. 'You'll feel better when you've got it off your chest,' they'll say.
But God says, 'do everything without complaining ...' even when you're cheesed off, had enough and just can't take it anymore. When someone hurts you, God says we need to have some 1-2-1 time and wrap it in kindness:
1) 1-2-1 time: In other words, no putting an ad out in the paper 'naming and shaming'. 'If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offence. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back' (Matthew 18:15 NLT).
2) Wrapped in kindness: So, no barging in like Mr Angry, shouting in their face, ready to head-butt them, '... speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ ...' (Ephesians 4:15).
Remember your goal is not to humiliate them or to get revenge, but rather to sort out the problem, resolve your differences, strengthen your relationship, and honour God. Even when we do everything right and deliver the best 1-2-1 time wrapped in kindness ever, it will only resolve itself if the other person responds well. But this doesn't mean you now have a right to get all stroppy. God always has the best next step, so listen to Him.
written by Bob Gass
'Do everything without complaining ...' Philippians 2:14
When someone hurts you, your temptation will be to tell everybody and have a right good moan! It feels acceptable, justified, and even therapeutic. Well-meaning friends will encourage it, and maybe even help you publicise it. 'You'll feel better when you've got it off your chest,' they'll say.
But God says, 'do everything without complaining ...' even when you're cheesed off, had enough and just can't take it anymore. When someone hurts you, God says we need to have some 1-2-1 time and wrap it in kindness:
1) 1-2-1 time: In other words, no putting an ad out in the paper 'naming and shaming'. 'If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offence. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back' (Matthew 18:15 NLT).
2) Wrapped in kindness: So, no barging in like Mr Angry, shouting in their face, ready to head-butt them, '... speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ ...' (Ephesians 4:15).
Remember your goal is not to humiliate them or to get revenge, but rather to sort out the problem, resolve your differences, strengthen your relationship, and honour God. Even when we do everything right and deliver the best 1-2-1 time wrapped in kindness ever, it will only resolve itself if the other person responds well. But this doesn't mean you now have a right to get all stroppy. God always has the best next step, so listen to Him.
written by Bob Gass
