What is complaining, really? We know complaining when we hear it. It seems to always come from the same source. There's that one person who you dread to be around because they always gripe about something, often the very same something over and over again. Complainers like to point out that they are merely stating the obvious, that something is not being done right or could be done better. But what good comes from this? Not much.
Complaining Isn't Productive
Complainers really only have three choices. Accept things the way they are and try to think about the good that is around them. Change things or change their relationship to them by removing themselves from the situation. Complaining is simply not productive.
Complaining Displeases God
In Numbers 11:1 it is made quite clear what God thinks about complaining,
“Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. "
Our example, of course, is the story of the Israelites wandering for forty years in the desert. Although they had seen the mighty hand of God at work in their deliverance from Pharoah and slavery in Egypt, they complained. They complained about food and water. When God provided them manna from Heaven they complained because they had no meat. They complained about Moses' leadership. Aaron and Miriam complained about Moses' wife, Zipporah. None of those who complained were allowed to see the promised land. They paid a high price for their complaints.
God Is In Control
Ultimately, when we complain we are complaining about what God has done for us because He is in control. So, you don't like your job? You don't like your spouse? You don't like the way people treat you? You don't like your home? The list can go on and on. But who do we ultimately have to thank that we have a job, a spouse, friends, a home and even our very life? God, of course.
Learning To Be Content
Paul tells us something very important in Philippians 4: 11-13,
"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Content people are not complaining people. How does Paul stay content when most people would be bitterly complaining? Because as he says, he "can do all things through Christ". Why? Because Christs strengthens him!
Praising Not Complaining
When Paul was in jail with Silas in Acts 16, instead of complaining, what did he do? He sang praises to God. Our worldly self would think Paul very justified if he had complained. Certainly he did nothing to deserve jail, or beatings or the many other things he suffered. But Paul had the strength of Christ, as do we!
Paul repeats this idea in 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 when he talks about the thorn in his flesh that was not removed,
"And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Once again, Paul could have easily succumbed to the temptation to complain. He asked God to remove this burden and it wasn't. God had a purpose for this "thorn in the flesh" it was to make Paul humble. Paul accepts this from God knowing that when he is weak, he will remember that his strength truly only comes from God.
Do All Things Without Complaining
In Philippians 2: 14-15 Paul makes it abundantly clear that we should not complain.
"Do all things without complaining and 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,"
This is one way the world will know that we are children of God, our lack of complaining and arguing.
So the point is that even though we may feel justified in complaining, we are told not to. We have to realize that God is in control of our lives. When we feel the need to complain we need to pray. We need to thank God for what we have instead of what we don't have. We need to show God that we trust Him with our lives by not complaining.
How Much Do We Trust God?
Paul in Romans 8: 28 says this,
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. "
If we truly believe this verse then even when we face bad things, we know that God can work them out for good if we are called according to His purpose and if we love Him. It really all comes down to trust. How faithful and trustworthy do we believe God really is? How much we complain is an indicator of this.
Dear Father,
Forgive me for complaining. Forgive me for not trusting your faithfulness and your love. Thank you for my blessings and help me everyday to see them and know that they are from you.
In your Son's name, Amen
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