I feel annoyed at these pathetic people, until I remember that I am one of them. It takes no effort to complain, but to do something about it takes hard work.
I started getting chronic headaches last year. It has been quite a hassle trying to completely get rid of them. I've tried wearing glasses, cutting out coffee, getting my iron levels up, drinking lots of water, cutting down on the stress, and taking tablets from the doctor. I'm still not quite there yet. My point is, It's easier and much cheaper to just complain to my husband each night! But that wouldn't make my situation any better.
Sometimes a listening ear CAN make all the difference and some of our problems we CAN'T change.
But there are many things that we can do something about, it just takes time and effort.
It's easy to look at other people and wish we had what they have. A tidy, clean house. Well behaved children. A good marriage. A beautiful garden. A close walk with God. An effective ministry. And so on. Yet we forget that those things take much effort. They don't happen by themselves. Although different people are good at different things and life is not fair, it all takes a certain amount of work.
Not all children can learn to walk. But most can. For some, like Lydia, it takes a lot more time and effort. It's harder for her. But she didn't let that stop her from learning.
And even if something doesn't come naturally to us, we can learn, too. For example if you are a messy person, it might be harder for you to keep your house clean than for someone who is naturally more orderly. But anyone can learn who really wants to.
So the next time you find yourself complaining, stop and ask yourself a few questions. Do I actually want this to change or am I happy to just complain? Is there something I could be doing about this? Do I want the results, but no work? Do I want it enough to put in the hard work to get it? If not, why complain? What excuses are holding me back?
No comments:
Post a Comment