Are You A Chronic Complainer?

Sometimes we start out with the best intentions to think and speak only positive thoughts, but the people around us can throw us off course. 

It can happen anytime. It's a fact of life.  If like me you work in an office environment, you may find it will creep up on you in an instance.  Silent, but deadly!

You may be sitting there, having a pleasant conversation with a decent bunch of people, when suddenly, before you know it, the conversation turns to - yes, criticising  and complaining.

It can be some small innocent comment, such as the increasing cost of the meals in the restaurant, which will invariably escalate to a ‘ping pong' dialogue, consisting of complaints and gripes about the employer or company.

I have often noticed, that there will always be a chronic complainer.  You know, someone whose sole aim in life is to find something to complain about and to find others to join them.  Unfortunately, their  complaint is rarely anything of a constructive nature, which could lead to a force for positive change in the office or environment.
 
Recently,  I was talking to a colleague about a new procedure that had been introduced to my team, when I had been away on holiday.  My colleague began explaining the procedure, complaining consistently over every aspect, that she thought was a waste of time.  Before I knew it, I too was drawn into the spiral of negativity, and as I did so, I began to feel uncomfortable, as I sensed the spirit of anger welling up inside me.  As I walked back to my desk, I was ashamed, that I, a women of God who knew better, had resorted to such behaviour.  The words - 'Grieve not the Holy Spirit',  echoed in my mind, as I began to reflect on the course of events.  "Please forgive me, God!", I whispered, as I shuffled a stack of papers, noisily on my desk.
 

God is greater than any circumstance, that we will find ourselves in. As followers of Christ, God wants us to be different from the world, we are to be distinctive. Complaining and criticising are sinful.

Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV.)
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 as you hold out[the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Are you a Chronic Complainer or how do you handle the constant complaints of others?
Let me know your thoughts by commenting below.