[1] Tyler and I have just recovered from the stomach flu. Somehow Bobby escaped it even though he’s been around us the whole time! It’s hard to have a weekend of lying around feeling miserable and missing the family time of Compass Bible Church. But today was a big recoup day with lots of cleaning and laundry so everything doesn’t feel like it has sick-germs on it or something like that. Even when Tyler was sick he still asked if we could go to Disneyland to see the Christmas castle. Last night we stopped by briefly to see it. I thought we could get a great Christmas card shot but Tyler was too mesmerized by all the lights!

I’m so thankful that God uses His Word to convict us at all times and all places. The night the flu hit me this verse from my Bible study that day came to mind–

“Do everything without complaining or arguing.”

Philippians 2:14

We have a pretty serious “no fussing” rule in the Blakey home. Not a day goes by that I’m not instructing Tyler not to whine and telling him that God says “no fuss” in the Bible. Now here’s where I eat my own words. Not that I’m telling him not to fuss but then am whining and complaining all day–I definitely try to set the example. But I’m amazed at what I will do to justify sinful attitudes, especially that of complaining and arguing. It’s pretty sad.

As a believer I don’t have any valid excuses for my sin. Being sick doesn’t justify grumbling and complaining. Being tired or stressed doesn’t justify arguing with or overly questioning my husband. God has called me to do everything without those sinful attitudes. Everything? That’s pretty extreme. Doesn’t God know that I’m human? I’m sure I can discipline myself to do some things without complaining but everything? Maybe God doesn’t know what some of the things are that I have to do…

He knows everything. And He calls me to do it all without complaining and without arguing. Instead of trying to defend myself I need to get extreme about resisting my sinful attitudes! Two good attitudes I try to put on to help get rid of complaining and arguing are found earlier in Philippians chapter 2.

• Humble yourself.
  Philippians 2:3 says “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” We need to take on the attitude Christ had which was not exalting Himself. He considered Himself nothing and became and obedient servant. A genuine humble heart and complaining or arguing don’t go together.

• Work hard to obey.
  Philippians 2:12-13 says “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Fear and trembling are appropriate attitudes because we don’t want to disobey our holy God. We should always be working hard to obey Him because we know that He has good works prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10) If we are working hard to obey God, this will also keep us from complaining and arguing and many other sinful attitudes.

Next time I’m telling Tyler “no fuss” I’m going to remember that God expects the same from me.