TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world… (Philippians 2:14-15 NKJV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• I spent the entire day yesterday working on taxes. Every year, I wonder why I make it so hard on myself. It would only take me 10 minutes every month to organize things so that at tax time, I would have all the information ready to input. I know the solution! But by the time I’m done with my taxes, I’m tired of numbers and I don’t want to spend the extra 30 minutes to review where we are year to date so I can be ready for next year. Then time goes by, and I forget how frustrated I was at tax time, and next year, the cycle will repeat itself.
With all that said — this is a short blog simply because my brain is still pretty mushy from yesterday. Let’s just say — I have a great respect for tax accountants who do this non-stop for weeks on end.
I posted a verse yesterday about complaining and I feel it’s appropriate to revisit today. Philippians 2:14-15 says, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…”
Tax time is, after all, a great time to complain. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. After all, we work hard and it’s frustrating to see how little we get to keep.
And it’s easy to blame politicians and point our fingers of complaint towards them. It’s the Democrats fault! It’s the Republicans fault! If this person were in office, it wouldn’t be this bad! Again — my t-shirt pile may topple with this one… but no politician has all the answers because no politician or political party can ever be our Savior.
It’s easy to blame any and everyone for the challenges we face. But there’s a wise saying…. If you’re going to complain, go up. It’s a leadership lesson found in the movie, “Saving Private Ryan.” Tom Hanks character, Captain Miller rebukes one of his soldiers and says, “There’s a chain of command. Gripes go up, not down. Always up.”
If we are tempted to complain (and if I’m be honest, I often am), the only place my complaints belong is at the feet of Jesus. Because complaints go up, not down.
No one can fix what I may complain about. And maybe there’s a lesson I need to learn in the situation! The only One who can fix it, comfort me, teach me, and give me peace is Jesus.
So — whether you’re frustrated with your taxes, the government, your job, your spouse, your children, or the fact that Duck Donuts was out of coconut when you were picking out your post-tax prep treat… complain up.
Thank You, Jesus, for a job that pays my bills.
Thank You, Jesus, for the ways our communities are built on tax dollars, and please help our politicians and leaders use the money wisely.
Thank You, Jesus, that despite our nation’s problems, I live in a free country.
Thank You, Jesus, for my family.
Today, as you pray, thank Jesus that He’s always willing to listen. But recognize that He doesn’t want us to stay wallowing in our complaints. So ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and in all things, help you find a reason to be grateful.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the NKJV translation.
