Thanks for joining me on our journey towards an attitude of gratitude this Thanksgiving. Yesterday we said “Pride” was an attitude that can keep us from being grateful.
Another attitude that keeps us from being thankful is a critical spirit or constant complaining. Instead of being grateful, this person will always find something to complain about.
"A lady known as an incurable grumbler constantly complained about everything. At last her preacher thought he had found something about which she would be happy, for her farm crop was the finest for miles around. When he met her, he said with a beaming smile, `You must be very happy Mary. Everyone is saying how healthy your potatoes look this year.’ `True they’re pretty good, but what am I going to do when I need bad ones to feed the pigs.”
When we have a critical spirit we filter everything through that critical mindset. The Bible tells us to renew our minds daily and this takes effort on our part because the world puts pressure on us to conform.
Romans 12:2 (NIV) “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Ephesians 4:23 (NLT) “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”
The Holy Spirit will help us if we will just call upon Him to help us.
John Ankerberg writes, “Criticism is “an act of criticizing; to judge as a critic; to find fault; to blame or condemn.” Romans 14:10-13 tells us not to tear down fellow believers through criticism or judgment, because this can pose a stumbling block and cause serious damage to their faith. Among God’s warnings in Scripture, there are none more serious than the Matthew 18:6 warning to not become a stumbling block to His followers.
Have you ever noticed: We tend to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions? The truth is we can’t rightly judge anyone else, because we don’t have a heart x-ray machine. That is to say, we don’t know the motivations of their heart. We should be content to judge only ourselves and seek to bring our own lives in alignment with God’s Word (1 Cor. 11:31).
What is a critical spirit? A “critical spirit,” is an obsessive attitude of criticism and fault-finding, which seeks to tear down others rather than build up. Destructive criticism is different from constructive feedback. The only criticism that is ever constructive is that which speaks the truth in love, to build up or edify another person for his or her good and for God’s glory.”
For more on the subject check out his article at https://www.jashow.org/articles/christian-living/godly-living/the-cause-the-curse-the-cure-of-a-critical-spirit/
This Thanksgiving if you can’t say something nice then say nothing at all. Refuse to be critical and complain instead give thanks! Children can get away with saying things that adults cannot. The goal is to put away childish things and be the adult; set an example.
Another attitude that keeps us from being thankful is a critical spirit or constant complaining. Instead of being grateful, this person will always find something to complain about.
"A lady known as an incurable grumbler constantly complained about everything. At last her preacher thought he had found something about which she would be happy, for her farm crop was the finest for miles around. When he met her, he said with a beaming smile, `You must be very happy Mary. Everyone is saying how healthy your potatoes look this year.’ `True they’re pretty good, but what am I going to do when I need bad ones to feed the pigs.”
When we have a critical spirit we filter everything through that critical mindset. The Bible tells us to renew our minds daily and this takes effort on our part because the world puts pressure on us to conform.
Romans 12:2 (NIV) “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Ephesians 4:23 (NLT) “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”
The Holy Spirit will help us if we will just call upon Him to help us.
John Ankerberg writes, “Criticism is “an act of criticizing; to judge as a critic; to find fault; to blame or condemn.” Romans 14:10-13 tells us not to tear down fellow believers through criticism or judgment, because this can pose a stumbling block and cause serious damage to their faith. Among God’s warnings in Scripture, there are none more serious than the Matthew 18:6 warning to not become a stumbling block to His followers.
Have you ever noticed: We tend to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions? The truth is we can’t rightly judge anyone else, because we don’t have a heart x-ray machine. That is to say, we don’t know the motivations of their heart. We should be content to judge only ourselves and seek to bring our own lives in alignment with God’s Word (1 Cor. 11:31).
What is a critical spirit? A “critical spirit,” is an obsessive attitude of criticism and fault-finding, which seeks to tear down others rather than build up. Destructive criticism is different from constructive feedback. The only criticism that is ever constructive is that which speaks the truth in love, to build up or edify another person for his or her good and for God’s glory.”
For more on the subject check out his article at https://www.jashow.org/articles/christian-living/godly-living/the-cause-the-curse-the-cure-of-a-critical-spirit/
This Thanksgiving if you can’t say something nice then say nothing at all. Refuse to be critical and complain instead give thanks! Children can get away with saying things that adults cannot. The goal is to put away childish things and be the adult; set an example.
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