Complain and Remain — Praise and Be Raised

After a most beautiful Italian Tea Party last Sunday — I was thinking about the wonderful women who put their hearts, souls and bodies in making the event so special for our ladies.

There were lovely decorations, meaningful testimonies, laughter, worship, and fellowship that warmed the heart.

On the way home, however, my sweet friend who rode with me had one lingering observation. She didn’t think the food was up to par.

That was it. Out of the entire evening — the music, the encouragement, the stories of God’s goodness — the handcrafted plates of food by women working tirelessly to do their best to please each women there.

And I had to chuckle. I thought the food was delicious.

Isn’t it funny how easy it is for the human heart to zoom in on the one imperfect detail while overlooking the ninety-nine blessings surrounding it?

The Bible gently warns us about that tendency —
“Do everything without complaining or arguing.” — Philippians 2:14

Complaining has a way of keeping us stuck. The Israelites discovered that during their wilderness wanderings. A journey that should have taken eleven days stretched into forty years. Why?

Because they complained — and remained.
But praise has a different effect.

Praise lifts our eyes. Praise changes our perspective. Praise reminds us that even when life isn’t perfect, God is still good.

I learned that lesson early in life. My daddy was often too sick to work, and my mama carried the weight of providing for our little family. Yet I rarely heard her complain. Instead, she sang. She prayed. She praised.

For years, we were avid listeners of Zig Ziglar, who loved to say that attitude determines altitude.

Perspective matters.

Now, I’m not suggesting we ignore real struggles or pretend life is always sunshine and roses. But we do have a choice about what voice we amplify — the whisper of gratitude or the loudspeaker of complaint.

Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

When praise rises, hope rises with it.

So here’s a simple reminder for all of us:
Complain… and remain.
Praise… and be raised.

Let’s be joy-filled and praise-filled and maybe put a snack in our pocket — just in case the meal isn’t up to par!