Stop Complaining!!

Greetings, blessing and salutations to one and all, Bless you this afternoon and welcome!

We all go through rough patches in life, but that doesn’t make you broken or an unfinished work.
Sometimes it takes you just taking a break, finding a quiet space and place, letting go of it all and simply releasing in the word of God. Many of us know it, we grew up with it, we just at times forget or out right refuse to use it…,somebody help me here….right! Use it or lose it some may say….not today though…today we use it!!! We have to get back to realizing life has meaning, what that meaning is and executing towards our purpose….light!, but first we have to decide to DO! And Stop Complaining!!!!!

On behalf of Defender of the Faith Missions and Ministry and Upon the Rock Ministries we welcome you….let us open in prayer….

Loving God, you know our faults and our sins, yet you accept us and continue to love us. Help us to extend that kind of love to the people who share our homes and workplaces, our neighbors, friends and families. Give us all a spirit of unity and peace of mind allowing us to see sun when it is raining and to realize our strengths and stop complaining. Amen.

Finding peace of mind…let’s start with this activity…

Decide whether you want to do this activity by yourself or together with your spouse, significant other or a friend.

1. Pray. Find a quiet spot to pause for a moment and pray something like the following:

Father God, you know all of my weaknesses, sins and setbacks.., yet you accept me for me and continue to love me unconditionally… Help me Father, to extend that kind of love to those who trouble my mind…Amen.

2. Consider. It’s never too late to take stock of one’s life and how we want to be more Christ like. One thing that most of us humans do plenty of is complaining. We complain about the weather, our jobs, the boss, politics, and each other – even those we love very very much: Our parents and children.. Decide here and now.whether you are willing to give up complaining . . . Hear me here..COMPLAINING AND WORRYING NEVER SOLVED ONE SINGLE PROBLEM…..if so…the world would have none…Simply consider this declaration…I know I’m loved, I know I shouldn’t be thinking this way, I know I’m blessed….I will live better, I will be better….I will Praise God, pray and read my Bible…..stay with me here;) I’m taking you some where;)

3. Commit. Assuming that you’ve decided to stop complaining, the next step is to define what you will count as a complaint.
• Is venting about work, family or friends to your spouse okay because it’s short, harmless, and relieves stress?
• Is complaining about an injustice or unfairness which has taken place, okay, especially if you are motivated to take action to correct it.
• You may want to focus your moratorium on complaints just to your family and save your
irritation with others for another round….your choice….stay with me…
* Tell someone close to you (perhaps your beloved) of your commitment so they can help you notice when you slip up.

4. Catch yourself. No matter how hard you try, you’re bound to slip up at times. (I certainly do.) When you notice that you’ve complained, there’s not much you can do other than resolve to not do it again. STOP, FORGIVE, PRAY AND LET IT GO! Of course you probably will do it again, but then you repeat your resolve to STOP, FORGIVE, PRAY AND LET IT GO……LET IT GO….LET….IT…..GO…… (Some people find it helpful to wear a silicone, cloth or silver bracelet, and move it from one wrist to the other whenever they catch themselves complaining. The goal is to see how long you can keep it on the same wrist – a day, a week, a month? All of the time…etc. Works great….try it;)

5. Substitute. At least once a day (or whenever you notice yourself making a complaint) think of a positive thing to say or think about the person or problem you complained about. Positive reinforcement, reinforces the fact that complaining does nothing but allows you to harbor unwanted feelings!!! STOP, FORGIVE, PRAY AND LET IT GO…;)

If you slip from time to time…Don’t beat yourself up…gently remind yourself of your commitment. Lest this degenerate into a “got you” contest, however, commit to finding and sharing one genuine, specific, affirmation for your beloved, the situation or concern everyday. Each day has to be different. It can be spoken or written. Experiment. You will surprise yourself…..

Now…let’s round this up and why in order to stop complaining you must use your resolve (STOP, FORGIVE, PRAY AND LET IT GO) The greater of these is to pray and read your Bible….stay with me here…

You may say…Rev. Poe, I’m just too busy to pray….was that a complaint;)….IT IS…and this again. Is how you’ll resolve it….

With prayer….”Lord, I ready to conquer my prayerlessness and complaining and I know in order to do that, I must allow you to develop in me the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and SELF-Control” (Galatians 5:22-23)

You have to know that apart from the Lord YOU CAN DO NOTHING! ok, walk with me here, here we go…

You can do nothing without HIM (see..John 15:5); you have to ask God for forgiveness and you have to realize that trying to run your life, in your own strength will be more than you can bear!!! YOU WILL FAIL!!! You will NOT PRAY, YOU WILL COMPLAIN!!! STOP TELLING GOD WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE AND HOW YOU ARE GONNA AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO!!! He Knows you better than you know yourself!!! ALLOW HIM TO TAKE CONTROL!!!! You’ve tried everything else…pills, bills and wills..Medicine, money and family can’t solve those things that only the anointing of the Holy Spirit in you can….stay with me

Ask the father, YOU NOW ASK THE FATHER!!! Let’s roll together in this one…here we go….Father, I know that apart from you I can do nothing, trying to run my life in my own strength is more than I can bear, I want to commit now to a regular prayer time with you because I KNOW, that prayer time with you is as important to my spirit as oxygen is to my Body!!! PRAISE GOD! GLORY!!!!! Father, help me to start each morning with just 10 minutes waiting quietly before you- absorbing your wisdom, goodness, grace and love allowing you to work through me with you enabling power for the day! Teach me to pray without ceasing Father, so that I am conscious of your presence throughout the day!! Thank you Father for all you have done for me! Help me to stop complaining so that I may see! Amen!!

Alright then!!! God Bless you, Powerful you are for you are great! You are; you must believe you are worthy, you are a good person, we all make mistakes, we all have rough patches and days. But if you look up, if you pray up, if you hold your head upon the most high …YOU WILL BE BLESSED, YOU WILL BE RELIEVED and revered in the anointing Spirit of the living God, study His word to show yourself approved and be ever ready to love, live and serve!!! Mighty you are with HE who loves you! Continue to seek His face in all you do, that you find paradise! If you slip….it’s ok……..STOP, FORGIVE, PRAY AND LET IT GO! Find a quiet place everyday…10 minutes…10 minutes…10 minutes…pray……….and realize that your family needs you alive!!! And in this life in order to keep maintaining you have to Stop, forgive, let it go and STOP COMPLAINING!!!!;)

Smile…..you made it:)

Have an outstanding Sunday and from all of us at Defender of the Faith and our church family at Upon this Rock Ministries May God Bless, keep you encouraged and inspired in all you do!

Excel and maintain, but don’t complain!!!!

Rev. Gerald F. Poe Jr.