Dear Friend,

It’s such an honor and a privilege to write to you each month. Thank you for spending this time with me as I share what the Lord has put on my heart. I also want to thank those of you who watch my weekly program TIME With Denise Renner. Your responses and kind comments are so encouraging. If you haven’t seen my program yet, I invite you to watch it on Facebook or YouTube every Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. CT. We are living in a time when we need the kind of encouragement that can only come from the Word of God every single day, and that’s what is on my heart every time I write or speak to you in my letters and programs.
 
I am writing to you today to talk about staying desperate and not letting go. When I say “desperate,” I’m not talking about the kind of desperation that puts you in a state of despair and causes rash or extreme behavior, but rather desperation in the sense of being willing to do anything and everything to walk in faith and stick with the Lord, clinging to the promises He makes in His Word. When you have this kind of desperation, you can be unstoppable! One thing that these kinds of desperate people do in times of trouble is remain thankful and refuse to complain.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

You may be wondering, Why is it so important to remain thankful and avoid complaining? People who complain are often so involved with themselves and overcome by their own problems that it becomes extremely difficult for them to receive from the Lord and His Word. Complaining people are also often stuck in that place of difficulty because they can’t move on. But people who are desperate to follow the Lord have an attitude that says, “I’m not staying here. I’m moving forward.” When you have this never-giving-up attitude, you’re able to keep going and going — and when you keep going, you will receive your prize!

The Ultimate Example of Maintaining
An Attitude of Thanks and Refusing to Complain
in the Midst of Troubling Times

As I was preparing this letter for you, I got to thinking about figures in the Bible who could have complained about their situation but refused to give in to the temptation. The most obvious and perfect example of this can be found in Jesus. He could have complained His whole life! He could have complained about the disciples and their unbelief, the Romans and how they mistreated the Jews, the Pharisees and Sadducees for constantly ridiculing and trying to trap Him, or even for just being tired! Jesus could have complained and murmured about so much during his lifetime, but He chose not to.

Keeping An Attitude of Thanks
Delivers Us From Complaining

If you’re in a desperate position, you must refuse to complain because complaining won’t get you anything or anywhere. Another great example of someone in the Bible who was desperate and could have complained but kept an unstoppable attitude was the apostle Paul. Philippians 1:3 says, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.”

At the time he wrote the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul was stuck in a truly desperate situation, imprisoned and chained in horrific conditions. Yet while in the midst of this terrible prison, Paul began his letter to the Philippians by saying, “I thank my God” (see Philippians 1:3). It is by giving thanks that delivers us from complaining.

Now look at Philippians 2:14-16, which reads:

Do all things without complaining or disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

It is the will of God for us to shine as lights in the world, but if we’re complaining, we can’t shine. And if we’re complaining, we’re certainly not being thankful! You can’t be thankful and complain at the same time — it’s either one or the other.

The apostle Paul had so many reasons to complain, yet he began his letter to the Philippians with thanksgiving. Even in these horrible prison conditions, he told the Philippian Church to do all things without complaining or disputing.

I studied this concept of complaining and disputing, and it’s more than just verbal dissatisfaction. It’s a murmuring — a complaint rooted in the heart. This murmuring manifests as grumbling or muttering in a low voice. One commentator described complaining as an internal grumble. In other words, it is an action that fosters ill will rather than harmony and goodwill. It involves inward questioning, disputes, discussion, skepticism, or criticism — an intellectual rebellion against God.

Reading this passage in Philippians 2:14-16 makes me want to repent and flee from any dissatisfaction or grumbling within myself. The Holy Spirit has been dealing with me about this in recent months, and when I came upon these verses and studied the words, I prayed, “Oh, Lord, let this not be in my heart.” Dissatisfaction, grumbling, criticism, unhappiness, discontent, muttering, and murmuring — all these should be banished from within us.

Banish Dissatisfaction From Your Life

Circle back to verse 15, which says, “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

Pay attention to the language used in this verse: “…blameless and harmless, children of God without fault…” (Philippians 2:15). This language means to be pure on the inside — unblemished, unmixed, unadulterated, and sincere. These words were also used to describe pure wine or unalloyed metal.

Let me give you an example from my own life. Many years ago, Rick gave me a beautiful ring that I loved very much and wore all the time. However, the ring kept breaking, and I found myself repeatedly taking it to the jeweler for repairs. Each time it would get fixed and I would wear it with joy, but soon, it would break again.

Finally, I asked the jeweler what was wrong with the ring. She explained, “Denise, this ring has alloy in it — it’s impure. The gold is in an impure state, and that’s why it keeps breaking.”

When I saw this language in Philippians 2:15 and thought of that example, I realized that when we’re grumbling and complaining, we’re putting ourselves in a place where we can be easily broken. Just like the alloy in the ring made it impure and fragile, constant complaining makes us impure and easily broken.

Scripture teaches us that in order to shine as lights in the world, we need to be blameless, pure, and sincere on the inside (see Philippians 2:15). Just like grumbling, feeling dissatisfaction in our hearts stops us from shining. And when we aren’t shining, we aren’t ready to witness to someone who needs it, to love someone, or to even let the power of God flow out of us! But when we remain thankful, we’re blameless! A person who is blameless is free — free in their attitude, free in their mind, free to give out of their hearts because they’re not complaining, they’re thankful. Isn’t that powerful?!

The Word of God touches our hearts so deeply. Hebrews 4:12 says it’s like a sharp, double-edged sword. When you hear the Word, a word from your pastor, or while reading the Bible yourself, the Word of God pierces between your soul and spirit and between joints and marrow. Joints and marrow are so close together! How crucial is it that the Word of God has that place in your heart where it can literally separate between soul and spirit and joints and marrow?  One of the most precious places in your body is in your bones, where the blood that gives us life is created, showing us just how vital the Word of God is to our survival.

So don’t complain! Don’t be disgruntled or dissatisfied. Give thanks and be blameless. That is how powerful the Word of God is, and that’s why it should be in our eyes, ears, and hearts. When we are harmless and blameless, we shine. And when we shine as lights in this dark world, we can be a beacon of brightness to others.

The Holy Spirit Living Inside You Helps You
Abstain From Complaint and Ungratefulness

Jesus could have complained about so much, but He didn’t — He gave thanks! The apostle Paul could have murmured and complained, especially in that horrible Roman prison. Scholars say that the prison contained collected sewage, and was packed with prisoners chained from wall to wall, each with no choice but to just stand in that filth. Paul had every reason to complain but chose to give thanks instead. How powerful is that?!

You may be thinking, But I’m not Jesus! I’m not the apostle Paul! But the Bible says in Second Corinthians 13:5:

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?

And First Corinthians 6:19 says:

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Our lives are not more difficult than Jesus’ or the apostle Paul’s. Paul chose to give thanks while in the most dismal of circumstances, and we have Jesus Christ living on the inside of us! Therefore, we can put a stop to complaining and choose to give thanks because the Holy Spirit resides within us.

Desperate people must choose not to complain because complaining leads nowhere, but giving thanks propels us forward. The apostle Paul eventually got out of that horrible prison and continued to live his life, and simply giving thanks was a huge part of his breakthrough. If you’re in a desperate situation, giving thanks can help you get out of it. It’s all about changing your attitude!

If you’re a desperate person, and you want to get out of your desperate situation, be thankful. Start thanking God right now! It’s going to do more for you than complaining, and thanksgiving has a certain power that can deliver you out of any desperate situation.

Friend, as we come to a close today, I want to remind you that desperation isn’t something that should cause you to panic. Next time you’re tempted to act with extreme behavior or complain in a tricky situation, remember this letter and choose to give thanks instead. I also want to remind you about our Partner Care team. If you ever have a prayer request you need to share, please reach out to our prayer team. Each member is full of faith and devoted to seeing the Lord move mightily in your life! Connect with our team today by calling 1.844.473.6637 or emailing prayer@deniserenner.org. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner