So you shine like starts in the universe

Yesterday on Facebook, my status update was from Philippians 2 : 14 - 15 - Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

This verse was first introduced to me by a dear college roommate, Courtney. I loved the metaphor of shining like a star in the universe - the image of being something light in a dark place hit me deep, but her explanation of the practical use of stars in the Bible - which were used as a guide and a point of reference - was equally impactful.

Lately I have found myself more and more aware of how much, as a society, we complain. We complain about our lives, our work, our bosses, the lack of sleep everyone seems to suffer from, our marriages, our relationships with our friends and families, the recession, even the weather. And while complaining is a common method of expressing negative feelings, which feelings like that are normal, it seems as though it has become, at least for me, the basis and foundation of how I converse with others.

And I hate that about myself.

I don't know if it's just a product of my sin, or a product of my work environment, or something I learned from my childhood where sarcasm was accepted, but I hear myself on a daily basis complaining or being negative. Now sometimes I am totally joking in my complaining to lighten the mood, especially at work where tensions can be high (ex: a coworker is upset about not getting the raise they requested and I quip, "I know right? How dare they? Let's all quit right now. Or we should sue them!" then start laughing.), but most of the time I am just being a completely immature, negative whiner.

So last night as I was praying, about myself, about others who also struggle with this, about some of my girlfriends (who I fear I have dragged into this behavior or encouraged it at times), I felt like it was time to just, well... stop. To stop complaining and being negative. To stop planting seeds of doubt and unrest in both myself and others within the sounds of my voice.  To stop allowing others, for whom this is also a dominate part of their personality, encourage me to join in on the whine fest. Because at the end of the day, complaining and being negative comes from an ungrateful heart and a judgemental attitude. And I have so very much to be thankful for!

So if I've dragged you down recently, or sucked all the energy out from you by being a negative baby, please forgive me. I'm attempting, with the Lord's grace and mercy of course, to become more like Him - blameless and pure, set apart, and shining like a star in the universe.

Orion :)