This past Sunday we focused in on a number of exhortations from James 5:7-12. One of those exhortations was to not grumble against our brothers and sisters in Christ. There is surely a reason James gave this command – he gave it because the Lord knows that we struggle with it. I simply want to remind us of one way that we can guard against such grumbling, and if you haven’t started doing this, then perhaps now is a good time to start.

One way of avoiding grumbling against a brother or sister is to positively praise and thank God for them. Perhaps you’re tempted to make a list of negative things about a brother or sister – to keep a record of wrongs. Fight that temptation and make a record of all of the evidences of grace that you can think of in that person’s life. Consider making a practice of this for one month. Take a calendar and each day write one thing that you’re thankful to God about for your brother or sister and then, at the end of the month, give that calendar to them. I trust that as you give yourself to thanking God for them, you’ll find fewer and fewer reasons to grumble against them.