Before You Complain

Every so often we feel the need to complain. Things aren’t what we want. People haven’t acted the way they should. A problem is not being corrected. Next time, before you do consider the following questions:

1.   Is this something I can fix myself?

Lots of problems don’t need to be complained about. They need to be fixed. Since you know about the problem, you can be the one that is solving the problem rather than the one complaining about it.

2.   Do I really know what’s going on?

Someone may already be fixing the problem, there may be some circumstances effecting things that we are unaware of, or maybe everything has been tried and nothing is working. Before we complain we should make sure we are not wasting our time and other’s patience on ignorant complaints

3.   What are the consequences of my complaint?

Everything has consequences but especially complaining. You may get want you want but it may come at the expense of hurt feelings, bad attitudes and lost friends.  When you complain, it makes it much less likely that anyone will want to help you out in the future.

4.   Is this really worth the bother?

Handling complaints is a draining process for all involved. Is the problem so great I have to make an issue of it? Would I (as well as everyone else) be better served forgetting about it rather than making it an issue?

We all have been spending too much time complaining.  If these points don’t help cut that time down, remember what is said in James 5:9, “Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.”