Complaining Is Not Healthy

Someone once said, "Complaining is like bad breath; you notice it when it comes out of somebody else's mouth but not your own."

No matter who is at fault, complaining can ultimately be toxic for you and those in your circle. I've noticed this while coaching the games of basketball and football. When the team is doing good, the coaches ride high. However, when the team starts to falter, the coaches become unglued, and their knee-jerk reaction is to shift the blame onto the kids. Everything becomes the players' fault, and their spirits are crushed sooner or later because they now have complete responsibility for the outcome of a play or the entire game.

Complaining is unproductive, whether it's a ball field or your living room. Not one of us reading this devotional likely doesn't groan outwardly or inwardly at times. All of us are guilty of grumbling about something. The question is, how do we overcome it?

Thankfully, the Scriptures are words of life and wisdom. God has repeatedly instructed us to curb our complaining and focus on greater perspectives. For example, Philippians 2:14 says, "Do everything without complaining and arguing… ."

Since nothing good comes from murmuring about people and problems, let us raise our perspective by seeking God and serving others. Complaining is unhealthy and can become chronic if you're not careful. It can also be contagious so that people around you come down with a "case of the complaints" as well.

Colossians 3:12 says, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."

Let us heed the wisdom given by God in the Scriptures and emulate His grace and mercy by responding to crisis and inconvenience with positive contribution rather than naysaying.