Read: James 5:9 Do not complain against one another, my friends, so that God will not judge you. The Judge is near, ready to appear.
He did it! No, she did it! But he did it first! How many of us, or our children or grandchildren, have said those very words? We struggle through those younger years trying to teach that we should not judge or blame. Isn’t it interesting that we forget our own teachings as we become older? We blame and judge just as much, or more than we did in our younger years. We justify it by saying: “but that person doesn’t act like a Christian,” or “why can’t the Church service run the way I think it should,” or “where do they get the money to spend like they do,” or “that political party is ruining our country.”
We all fall into the category of thinking our way is the right way. Maybe we do not know how to deal with our frustrations, or have jealousy, or just aren’t content with our own lives.
Regardless of our reasoning, it is wrong and sinful. If we complain to others, we are being destructive. If we complain to ourselves, we are being destructive. There is no middle ground.
I get it – I, too, struggle with complaining sometimes. But James tells us our Judge is near – He hears every word we speak and knows every thought we think. We know God is almighty; shouldn’t we believe He is able to help us overcome our shortcomings? Absolutely! First you have to acknowledge your ways and then turn to God for help. He wants to see the best in you just like we want to see the best in the kiddos of our life. When judgment day comes, instead of learning we disappointed God with our actions, wouldn’t it be a lot better to hear Him say “job well done”?
