I was sitting in bible study with a group of beautiful women of God. We began talking about how grumbling and complaining seems to be our first reaction in life.

I don’t know about you, but I would like to say I am a pretty positive person. I can’t possibly have this issue. Right?!

The other thing about hearing with my cochlear implants is that I can hear myself better, and sometimes I sound a little grumbly.

There are moments when I don't like listening to myself. I can't imagine what it is like for the people around me or God. Share on X

My husband and I were talking last week and he said something to me that stood out. He was feeling like I get focused on the wrong things sometimes and I can get stuck there.

I had been asking God to help me with the little pit I had found myself in, and He used my husband truth to me.

I am thankful for a husband who speaks truth to me. Do you have people in your life who speak truth to you? Share on X

In bible study that day, we read scriptures talking about praising God. We heard stories from people’s lives that testified to power or praise.

My heart was convicted and I knew I needed to change my way of thinking and speaking. Share on X

The following week, I began my days a little different. I would look up a Psalm and praise God with His Word. I would begin my prayer time with praise instead of, “When are you going to get me out of this mess?”

I began to thank Him for things and people I had been complaining about to Him.

It changed my whole week.

I am not going to lie, when I woke up today, I feel a battle in my mind and in my heart. I will need to be very intentional to keep my eyes on the Lord and I am asking Him to guard my heart and mind in Him.

It is like exercise. I hated it. I started a program that worked for me and I realized how great I was feeling and how better I felt. I was able to live life better. That makes me want to exercise now.

We have to practice. It is like spiritual exercise but we feel better when we do this and we live life better for Him.

I think many of us struggle with grumbling and complaining. We get stuck in our little pits. It doesn’t take much sometimes. We have to be careful where our mind and hearts go.

I want to encourage you to take a few minutes or longer to just praise God for who He is. There is so much to praise Him for. Take time to practice this spiritual exercise and watch how much better you feel, how your perspective changes, and how you live life in Him in glorifying ways.

Father, we praise You! We Praise You for who you are. We praise You for Your love for us. Thank you for not leaving us in our pits, but You pull us out so we can live free. Thank you for Your Word. Thank You for those people who speak truth in love to us. We praise You for who we are in Jesus. May we praise You in our minds and hearts today. May we praise You with our lives.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150:6