In the last entry (“Many Forms“) I mused on the real problem with complaint, fretting, and irritation. It may well be that the cause of these negative thoughts, speech, feelings, and actions are physical or mental/emotional, but they will soon become a spiritual problem unless immediately curbed. So, it may be that I have to take care of physical problems like fatigue, hunger, sickness, or emotional problems like stress or broken relationship. Charles Stanley liked to say that one should HALT what they are doing when Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired, and correct these things before making any decision or moving forward. They increase the likelihood of falling to temptation. Eat, discover the source of anger and resolve it, be reconciled and build relationships, rest, and cover all things with prayer.
These considerations are all along the lines of what needs to be done when I am in a place of temptation or have fallen to it. Of course, with the latter there is also repentance. But prevention and maintenance of a peace and joy requires more. I think that the best way to avoid complaining, fretting, and irritation is to regularly praise God and be thankful to Him in all things. Certainly, being thankful in general is good, that is, being appreciative to those around us. But this is no call to thanking the Native Americans at Thanksgiving or thanking your lucky stars. The Pilgrims thanked God for protection and abundance. Thankfulness is a Christian discipline, privilege, and conduit for blessedness of soul. Being the giver of all good gifts (James 1:17), God deserves our thanksgiving for what He does. He also deserves our praise for who He is. Being rightly oriented to God through praise and thanksgiving brings joy and peace and the blessedness of God’s presence.
I want to live more in that light and less in the blasphemous darkness of complaint, fretting, and irritation.
CreatorWorship 