Whipping A Whiney Spirit – Part I
The Why Generation
Phillippians 2nd Chapter
14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so
that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a
crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
(NIV)
Which generation are you a part of? Are you in the "baby-boom" or
"Generation-X" generation? Whether you are a member of one of
these groups or not, one thing is true — they will cease to exist one
day. However, there is one group that crosses all generations — the
"Why not me generation?" These people are always asking, "why
did he/she get blessed?" or "why didn’t I get blessed?"
This type of attitude is a direct result of a whiney spirit.
The word whine has two definitions that we are going to look at (one this
week and one next week). The first definition of whine is to express
negative feelings, especially of dissatisfaction or resentment by
complaining. When the "whiney spirit" overflows, the mouth
produces the complaint to and/or about God. So how is this a complaint
to/about God? Well we will answer the question with a question? First, who
are you complaining to? Many of us will take the easy out and say,
"I’m just speaking my mind" or "I’m talking to
myself." O.K…. well here’s the second question, "Who are you
complaining about?" Some of us will try to take the easy out again and
say, "Sister Suzie because she got blessed." Yet my question is
how can you complain about the one who got blessed and not the One who did the
blessing?
If it were left up to us, we would bless the wrong folk because as the
saying goes: "No one but God knows how it goes behind closed
doors." Sister Suzie might get blessed while we complain and not
know how obedient she has been to God like He knows. We don’t know what
she went through to get her blessing, but we do know that God is the One that
did the blessing. So by whining we speak against the wisdom of God who knows
everything.
Therefore, we need to follow the advice from the 14th verse, "do
everything without complaining and arguing." Instead we should truly
enjoy seeing other people blessed. Peter stated in Acts 10:34, "Of a truth
I perceive that God is no respecter of persons." In other words, if
God did it for Sister Suzie He can do it for you — "Praise Be To
God." When we celebrate the blessings of others instead of
complaining about their blessings, we become blameless and pure in a crooked
and depraved generation (15th). Also the 15th verse tells us that we will
shine like stars in the universe if we don’t spend our time complaining and
arguing.
Here’s something for you to meditate on. Have you ever had a friend
who gets really excited when you share good news with him/her. What’s the
first thing that happens? Their face and eyes "light up."
Kinda like stars in the universe huh? And when you’ve got a really,
really good friend during your triumphant times, he/she is beaming just a
brightly as you are. I remember when my best friend had his first
child. I was so excited!! I was bouncing off the walls trying to
get to the hospital yet, the person I was dating at the time stated, "you
act like it’s your child!!" (and she wasn’t smiling when she said
it). To make a long story short, I went to the hospital happy and by
myself, and she went home mad. Even then, I knew that my time was coming
but until then I was going to celebrate not complain. Nine years later it
did and it was on time – THANK YOU JESUS!!!!
Whenever God blesses, choose to exalt Him and not question Him because your
time is coming. You just might be delaying your blessings because you’re
whining. You might be pushing your blessings away instead of receiving
them because you feel someone else is not worthy. One thing we do know is
we don’t shine brightly among the depraved and the envious by having a whiney
spirit. So let’s whip that whiney spirit by glorifying God for blessing
our brothers and sisters. And as He blesses them "THIS TIME,"
next time will be "YOUR TIME;" so let’s simply praise God "ALL
THE TIME!!!!"