From Complaining to Gratitude: A Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

Hello beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, you’re blessed and highly favoured.

I know it’s been a long time since I last posted on this blog, a lot has happened behind the scenes, but by the grace of God, I’m able to post today and I thank God for this.

I was reading through Numbers chapter 11 and The Lord spoke to me in such a powerful way, I thought it would be worth sharing this with you guys.

Numbers 11:1-6 KJV
[1] And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. [2] And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched. [3] And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them. [4] And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? [5] We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: [6] but now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

“There is NOTHING at all, beside this manna before our eyes.”

Can you imagine that they were in the desert? Who would have expected to have meat in abundance in the desert? God Himself provided manna for them, and manna wasn’t any type of food. If God gave it to them and deemed that it was enough for them, it means it was 100% nutritious food. Yet they said “there is nothing at all, beside this manna”.

This is what complaining does to us, we close our eyes so that we don’t see what God has given to us, and we keep our eyes open only on what we don’t yet have. Instead of saying thank you for what we have, we blame God for what we don’t have, thereby forgetting that even what we have, it’s only by His grace that we have it.


It’s not a coincidence that Apostle Paul in the New Testament teaches us through his words and his attitude that it’s important to be content with what God has already given to us.

Philippians 4:11-12 KJV
[11] Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. [12] I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Being content with what God has given to you now doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be ambitious. Of course it’s a good thing to seek to improve, and seek to have a better lifestyle in The Lord, but we don’t have to be so focused on what we don’t have yet, that we forget to thank God for what we already have, and we end up even despising Him for what He’s already given to us.


So practically, how can we practice gratitude in a way that will prevent us from complaining? I believe a gratitude journal would be a great tool for that. The first time I heard about a gratitude journal was more than seven years ago, in one of the sermons of Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church. I thought it was a great idea, yet I never implemented it. Nevertheless, I believe it would be a great thing to do in order to practice being grateful to God and to repel the habit of complaining.

What’s a gratitude journal?

A gratitude journal is a diary in which you record things that you’re grateful for. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You can take a book, and fill it every night before going to bed. Just write a list of 5-10 things for which you’re grateful that day.

“God I thank You because today ………”

I believe having a journal like that will help us not just to pray with a thankful heart, but also,  going through it months or years from now will definitely help us keep things in perspective and help us to keep rejoicing in The Lord even in hard times.

There’s a saying which goes this “To every cloud there is a silver lining”. I believe that even in the hardest times, we can still find things that God does specially for us, and thank Him for it.

Gratitude Journal Challenge

Will you take the challenge to fill a gratitude journal everyday for the next 30 days and see how it has an impact on your mood and your attitude towards God?

Prayer

Father in The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ, I thank You for encouraging me to stop complaining and for instead encouraging me to thank You for the good things You’re doing for me. Help me to practice gratitude everyday, help me to be consistent with filling my gratitude journal, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen

Donations

If you’ve been blessed by the teachings you received on this blog and that you desire to give to God so as to support this blog, you can click on this link here to make a donation. May God reward you richly. God bless you

Looking for a local church in Yaounde Cameroon?

I recommend to you Living Word Fellowship International Church of Bishop Christian Raymond Ngwu and Rev. Laurentine Ngwu. The Church is situated in Yaoundé Mvog-ada near Camwater, Church services on Sunday 8am to 12:30 pm. Right now we’re praying every morning from 5:30am to 7:00am during this prayer/fasting 40 days season

Looking for a local church in Douala Cameroon?

I recommend to you Four Face Center of his excellency Dr. E. Paul Mbuagbor and Rev. Leslie Mbuagbor (son and daughter of Daddy Bishop Chris Raymond Ngwu). The church is situated at “salle de fête arena Bonamoussadi” and church services hold every Sunday 5pm.

Thank you for reading and God bless you

Dr. Victoria Eyog Tang Nlend