Worshiping or Grumbling?

James 5:9 Don't grumble about each other brothers and sisters or you will be judged - For look, the judge is standing at the door!

    Did you ever catch yourself turning in a bad report card to God about your brother or sister's behavior? Sometimes it might not even involve us. We say under our breath...just look at what they are getting away with, as if God has not noticed. We are not at all satisfied that they are getting the sort of consequences that we feel they deserve. But the longer we spend running to tattle-tale on others the less and less we will be able to worship.
Worship is in fact the exact opposite of grumbling. When we grumble and complain about someone to God we will find that our focus is fixed on them. But to worship God we must let go of everything else and give our complete attention to him. Then looking only at Jesus He draws us closer and closer to Him.

    Our spiritual enemy is always working to get our attention away from God. He is himself engaged in pointing out our failures and sins to God. He can never bring himself to fall down in worship, so let's not follow his example or help him do his job. When we begin to forgive others we are putting Christ at center stage. His mercy puts the spotlight where it belongs: on Jesus. Though our forgiveness is only a pale reflection of His it allows us to be filled with his joy. Our hearts are then light again and we find that we are free again to worship in Spirit and in Truth.