November 13

Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp. — Num 11:1 BSB

There are some people who seem to talk about nothing but the unpleasant things in their lives. If you ask how they’re doing, instead of offering a cheerful response, they give you a detailed list of all their aches and pains. Their conversations are filled with negative and discouraging remarks, and they always seem to focus on the worst parts of their day.

We all have troubles—things that irritate, annoy, or cause us pain. But we shouldn’t dwell on them or talk about them constantly. It doesn’t help us, and it certainly doesn’t help others. Complaining spreads negativity and can bring down everyone around us.

We should make it a rule to keep our troubles to ourselves as much as possible, especially when it comes to complaining. Even if we didn’t sleep well or feel great, we don’t need to announce it at breakfast and bring down everyone’s mood. Bearing life’s difficulties with patience and grace is a key part of living out our faith.