Thinking Inspiration

Complain Not!

Inspiration: God; Melanie A. Scott-Bennett, Esq. (Leukemia Survivor)

First, let’s define the term complain:

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, complain is defined as to express dissatisfaction or annoyance about a state of affairs or an event.

The UrbanDictionary describes “complaining” as being what hypocritical people do when something displeases them. They would rather use a verbal indication to express their displeasure of a certain thing, rather than taking a stand and doing something about it. “Ouch!”

Now there is a thin line between venting and complaining. You primarily vent to release concerns to someone that will potentially provide advice, encouragement or just a listening ear. At times your vent session can be between you and your journal. Either way, I strongly encourage vent sessions for it is not healthy to withhold all types of emotions. However, it’s only a vent session when you have the mindset to seek direction and make preparation to overcome. That next step could just be exercising your faith and not becoming a victim to your problem. Your “vent” session downgrades to complaining when you talk about it and then start planning the pity-party of the year.

To make this extra plain, I have a dear friend who is currently battling a disease called leukemia. Yes, leukemia that is considered cancer of the white blood cells. Yes, white blood cells of the immune system involved in defending the body against both infectious disease.

So how does a young, vibrant young lady who has just entered her 30s, a very successful attorney who absolutely loves her job, highly sought graphic designer, crazy/faithful God lover, homeowner, nice ride owner, and newly engaged to the God-given man of her dreams handles being suddenly diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)? I’ll just say this…..

If I were to sphere head the “iTrust God in THIS Hall of Fame” Melanie A. Scott would be a recipient alongside Job (in the bible), Darlene Johnson, Theodis Johnson, Sr, Stephanie Mattox, Jalessa Mattox, Charles Presley and others who have firmly stood on the Word of God.

Don’t believe me, just READ!!

Click the picture below to read Melanie’s blog that chronicles her life fighting Leukemia. Then come back and read the rest of this article 🙂

mel

You may be asking, how can I overcome the complaining spirit, and become one that can trust God regardless of my circumstances? How can I turn my complaints into praises?” Awesome questions, let’s start with …..

  1. Opening the bible (or the app on your device) and READ! Whatever you are dealing with has happened before and can be found in the Word of God. There is nothing new under the sun. This simply means that what you are dealing with or going through has been an issue for someone before. The situation may not have transpired the exact same way, but it has happened before to someone else! But I have news for you, for every problem there is an escape. Yes, your situation can live! But you won’t know that unless you read the Word of God. Yes, I know it is a large Guide to Godly living and it can be intimidating, but thank God for google.com, concordance and newly translated bibles (NIV, Amplified, Message, etc.) Basically, there is no excuse. My mother always told me that before I open the bible, ask God to lead me to where he would like for me focus on and to give me an understanding of His Word. While you are reading, God can supernaturally reveal awesome things concerning you. Just give it a try. You have absolutely nothing to lose, so much to gain.
  2. Monitoring what you ears absorb! It’s difficult to change your thinking if you are listening to or watching things that cannot pour positivity or encouragement unto you. It would be a great idea to fast from secular music and television and absorb songs that inspire and encourage or what shows that truly uplift. Whatever your general preference is for music, I promise there is some inspirational music to your liking. [Blog with ‘Songs to Get You Through” coming soon]
  3. Surrounding yourself with a positive support system. You have to surround yourselves with people that will only speak Life to your situation and pray not only with you, but for you. While you are going through, you may have to take a break from the doubters and pure pessimism. Just keeping it 100%, those around you who have not experienced some very difficult and trying times may not be able to understand nor comprehend how much of a supernatural, miracle worker God is. No need to get upset and feed into their thinking, just practice what I call a “healthy” distance. Let them watch from sidelines, while you go through this with insurmountable faith. That alone will inspire them to see that our God is a faithful God and increase their faith as well.
  4. Daily allowing yourself to hear from you. Simply put, open up your own mouth and tell yourself, “I am delivered. I am not defeated. I am an overcomer. God is working this thing out RIGHT NOW! Sickness and disease, financial woes, troubled marriage, [you insert what is defeated in your life here] is defeated in the name of JESUS!! The more you speak positive things to yourself, the more you will believe them. I promise, your entire attitude will change.
  5. Knowing that if He did It before, He Can do it Again! God is not a respecter of persons. He specializes in repeat performances catered to your individual situation. Don’t ever doubt Him. Please don’t. He is too much of a creating, powerful awesome God for you to think that He is not concerned or does not know what you are going through. Believe it or not, Jesus is interceding for you as we speak. Just like Jesus told Simon Peter in Luke 31, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” The sifting starts in your mind. The enemy is a deceiver and wants to think that your situation is hopeless. You fight that attack by remembering that your Savior is praying for you and your faith! Then you can go back and tell others what He has done for you!

I’ll be one of the first to admit, that I can definitely complain about some things in my life right now. It took life to teach me how to deal with things that happen in my life. To prevent me from complaining, I don’t talk about the situation while it is fresh. I first “vent” to God (even though He already knows). I want Him to be the FIRST one that I run too (obviously because He knows what’s going on and how I will escape it.)

If I chose to vent to someone else about my situation, it is because I believe that God can use them to encourage me, or I need someone to pray with me and for me. When I think I want to complain, I just think about how there is reason why I was created. The truth of the matter is, God did not have to allow me to be on this earth. For some reason I am here and my life goal is to do whatever it takes to accomplish what I was born to do. With that said, there is no time to have pity parties that never end. In everything that you go through, allow God to get the glory out of your life. Your life does not have to be glamorous for you to be a reflection of Him (the true source of Light). You do that by living a life of faith and good expectancy for the great things that are going to happen. At the end of the day, this life that we live was given by Him and is for Him.

Be encouraged! “I see you in the future, and you look better. I see you walking in favor and prosperity too. Let me encourage you. Let me speak life to you. You can depend on God to see you through. You can depend on me to pray for you!” – Bishop Paul Morton “Be Blessed” – Album: Still Standing

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1 Comment

  • Reply Minister Solomon Armstrong July 5, 2013 at 5:24 pm

    Your ministry is apparent!!! You are Blessed my loving daughter!!!