I am guilty…of complaining.
As a young boy, my physique bothered me. I wasn’t athletically built.
You know, the last one picked for the team to play whatever game the coach
assigned. Also, the one ignored by the girls.
As a driver. When the car in front of me drove too slow, when the car
behind me sped around me in places it shouldn’t have, or when the driver behind
me rode my bumper so closely I could feel his breath on my neck.
About the bills. As a young man just out of high school, working hard
every day, trying to make ends meet, and watching my outgo exceed my income.
About taxes. How the Internal Revenue Service took too much from my
check, not leaving me enough to get by on.
About people. People whom I led who said they wanted me to change things
in their organization, but when I did I got no appreciation … and nothing but
complaints.
About the world and how terrible people can be. The rate of crime. How
the wicked seemed to get ahead while the do-gooders fall behind.
David—as well as other biblical figures—complained too, but his
complaints erupted to the right person: God.
No one likes a constant complainer, unless misery loves company. Complainers
tend to hang around together, but those who don’t like complaining avoid them.
God doesn’t. Of course, there are things He doesn’t want us to complain about.
Such as when His people who wandered in the wilderness didn’t enjoy the food He
provided and complained. Their complaints brought discipline.
Whether our complaints are justified or not, God is the one to whom we
should take them. He’ll never avoid or walk away from us as others might. He
knows why we’re upset … and wants to hear about every detail of our lives.
When our complaints are unjustified, God—through the work of His
Spirit—can reorient our perspective. (He’s had to do that quite a few times
with me.). When they are justified, He can guide us along the right path to
address them with the right person and in the right way.
God has the ability to see what we can’t see: what’s ahead. He’s been
where we haven’t and knows the big picture. He even controls it.
When you feel like complaining, take your complaints to God. He’s ready
to listen.
Prayer: Father, hear our complaints and guide us along the best paths to
address them.
Tweetable: Are you a complainer?
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