Do you know someone who is constantly complaining? A family member who is perpetually whining? That friend who invades your personal space with a constant stream of personal problems and negativity.  The co-worker who is ceaselessly griping about their health, family, relationships, work, church and the topic of the day? That one person who’s only happy when they are more miserable than everyone else around them?

Is that someone you?

That someone is me.

My Monday morning started out with an upsetting text message about a subcontractor who is a big part of the remodel we are doing at the church.  That was the beginning of the whiny day parade as I grumbled about the subcontractor. Then I whined about the wait in the drive through for my coffee. I complained about the Facebook updates I was scrolling through. Whatever was said in the office, I had a negative comment. I grumbled because it was Monday. I even complained about other people complaining. At one point I headed down the hallway to the bathroom only to realize it was out of order. I whined about having to walk downstairs and a few extra steps to another bathroom. And of course, I was justified in every complaint and dispute. It was somebody else’s fault and I was the victim!

Later that day I stumbled upon these words:

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world… Philippians 2:14-15

Uh, oh. It was staring back at me like my face in the mirror. I had become the very thing I have a dislike for. I mean, I know a thing or two about grumblers, complainers and whiners – I’m a pastor! The grumbling lands in my inbox. The complaints get mailed to me. The whining happens in conversation on Sunday mornings. And now the mirror was telling me I had become an Eeyore among Eeyore’s. In fact, I was the chief Eeyore! I wasn’t a shining light but instead was being a dim witness. How can I lead others to use their words to bless and build up when I myself was using my words to discourage and tear down?  It was like I was hearing God say, “Just stop the whining already!”

So for the next thirty minutes I sat with a notepad in front of me writing down everything I could come up with that I was thankful for.  Instead of focusing on the things that I wanted to continue to grumble and complain about I chose to give thanks. From the chief whiner to any others…it works! Try it!

Forgive me God for my complaining spirit. Allow me to just stop the whining already. Empower me with your Spirit to use my speech to bless and to build up and not to tear down or discourage. Allow me to constantly be reminded of those things for which I should be giving thanks. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Things break. Toys do. Dishes do to. Cars are famous for it. Promises are broken. And who hasn’t had a broken heart? Phones break. Sunglasses break. Teeth can break. And bones break, too – just ask our son, Jeb.

Two weeks ago he broke both bones in his arm near the wrist while playing a football game – his first game of the season. It was obviously broken by looking at it. The x-rays confirmed it. And the ER doctor tried to fix it.  He did a good job but it wasn’t aligned quiet right so a day later he was in the operating room having it lined up just perfectly and a pin put in to hold it in place.  A cast was put on and we wait for it to heal.  Four more weeks in the cast they say. Then a few weeks for rehab to regain the range of motion and strength he will lose while in the cast.

But for now we…wait.

We humans break easily. And I’m not talking simply about bones. Everyone — everyone — is broken. There is not a human on this earth who has not hurt, who is not damaged, or is not in pain. We are not all broken in the same way, of course, but we are all broken. We hold up perfect pictures of what our life is supposed to be like but the real pictures are anything but. Our lives are a mixture of sin and grace. Of brokenness and redemption. And in every hurt, in every habit and in every hang-up, God is healing. We are all broken but we are also all healing.

But for now we…wait…and God heals.

Waiting is the hardest part of the healing process. Whether it’s a bone, a heart, or our spirit. With any hurt, habit or hang-up. With any rejection, loss, or crisis. Healing doesn’t usually take place immediately. It’s a process. A journey. A passage. And we wait. We wait for the perfect healing.

So Jeb is now seeing the physician more than he is used to. We spent time with the ER doctor. The orthopedic doctor did surgery. Just this week we had an appointment with the same doctor. More x-rays were taken. The cast was changed out. We have to go back to the doctor in two weeks where the same thing will be done again. When a bone is healing, we must stay close to the physician. Why would it be any different with our heart or spirit? With our hurt and grief? Our brokenness and shame? Stay close to the Great Physician.

We know in time Jeb’s arm will be completely healed.

But for now…we wait…and keep our doctor’s appointments.

We know in time God heals all our brokenness.

But for now…we wait…and we grow a little closer to the Great Physician.

This Monday morning, I was sitting on our patio complaining to God. This seems to be a frequent habit.  Sometimes, things can get a little stressful.  Marriage, kids, friends, work – just life. It can all get overwhelming on some days. Sunday had not been a great day for me and I was venting to God. I remember telling God that I just needed someone to acknowledge that what I was doing is making a difference. As soon as I got up from my moaning session and walked back into the house I heard the ding.  It was the familiar alert notifying me someone had sent a Facebook message.  I opened the app to one of the most encouraging notes I have received in a while. Thank you, God! And thank you to the messenger who had no idea that was exactly what I needed. It made my day!

…encourage one another and build one another up…

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Yesterday, Amy was shopping in Target. She kept noticing this one gentleman in the Men’s Department.  He kept inspecting this one particular pair of pants.  He would look them over and then walk away.  He would come back, take them off the rack and then put them back on the rack. Amy could tell that he was needing this pair of pants but for whatever reason was hesitant to buy them.  Amy continued to shop and as she finished and made her way to the checkout line she noticed that this same gentleman was standing right in front of her in the line with those pants in hand.  As he laid them up on the register and began to check out, Amy felt a strong nudge to pay for the pants.  She said to the gentleman, “I want to buy these pants for you.” Awkward! The gentleman didn’t really know what to say so he just stared at Amy with a spellbound expression.  The checker then blurted out, “Dude, let her buy the pants for you!” A hush fell over the check-out line as Amy paid for the gentleman’s pants. He walked out of the store and Amy then proceeded to check her purchases out.  As Amy walked out of Target, the gentleman whose pants she had just purchased was standing outside the store weeping.  Amy gently patted his shoulder and said, “God told me to do that. Have a good day!” And she walked off.  No doubt she made his day!

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have…

Hebrews 13:16

 Whose day can you make today? What small word can you offer? What email can you send? What note can you deliver? What hug can you give away? What purchase can you make? Whose day can you make?

Ryan

P.S. Amy doesn’t know I’m telling this story but she will read it at some point today. Can you make my day by encouraging her not to hurt me?! 🙂

Yesterday, while listening to the radio, I heard that people with smart phones check their Facebook page an average of 14 times per day (according to a study sponsored by Facebook). They scroll through news feeds while running errands, comment on friends’ posts while shopping or at the gym, and post a photo of their food plate before dinner.

I am below average. I have never tracked the number of times I check my Facebook page each day but I am fairly confident it is less than 14. But, hey, there is no judgement here of you who are above average. Only some advice – get a life! Just kidding!

Regardless of whether you pride yourself on being an occasional Facebook checker or an obsessed Facebook juggernaut, perhaps we can use this to point us another direction. What if every time we checked our Facebook page, we prayed? It doesn’t necessarily have to be a 10-minute prayer but a reminder to think of God, thank God, and lift whatever is on our mind at the time to God in prayer?

I call it prayer pointers. A long time ago I was given advice by a mentor to establish prayer pointers in my life – events that happen repetitively in the normal course of a day that point me to pray.  For example, every time I see or hear an ambulance or fire truck I use it as a prayer pointer to not only pray for those involved with the ambulance or fire truck but to think of God, thank Him and lift whatever is on my mind at the time to Him in prayer.

I am below average. But using prayer pointers is one way I strive to achieve Paul’s challenge to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Our smart phones can be used in so many ways to establish prayer pointers. Perhaps each time we check our Facebook page, or every instance a text comes through or our inbox dings.

I am below average but I want to “pray without ceasing.” How about you?