Complaining

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Job 10:1 Speaking From The Heart

My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. Job 10:1

Nearly every person has some complaint about something, though some will never speak what is on their heart. Other people appear to live to complain about life in general. Everyone has a time in their life when everything that could go wrong does go wrong and it is painful. During those times many will let others know of what is on their heart, the struggles and pain of what they are going through.

As Job went through a series of horrible disasters, he hated his life and chose to speak from his heart of his bitterness and complaint of what was happening.

Every person has times of disaster in one’s life. Everything is going horribly wrong and falling apart. Those are times of intense suffering and pain, whether physically or emotionally.

During those times many people will choose to turn to drugs or something else to deaden the pain or to take their mind off of their troubles. The world has no hope in itself and only sees despair and trouble with no way out. Without God, this is true.

Believers will also have times of extreme trouble in their lives. Their hearts will be filled with pain of the suffering and want to cry out in anguish. Unlike the world, believers have God whom they can run to for strength, comfort and understanding.

God does not always answer the why of the pain and suffering, but is always right by the believer’s side, giving strength and comfort. Jesus went through pain and suffering so that the believer could have life, abundant life that extends into all of eternity. He gives hope to those who are in pain right now.

There will most likely be times in your life in which you are struggling so much that you a hating your life. You may be wondering what is going on and why it is happening. There may appear to be no hope.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus and look to Him, the author and finisher of your faith. Tell God how you are feeling and allow Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit, giving you comfort and strength. Trust Him that He knows what He is doing and allowing in your life to make you more like Jesus.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will speak your heart to God at all times; that you will trust God with all of your life; that God will comfort you in times of difficulty; and that God will give you strength to not turn to the ways of the world in times of trouble.

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Job 2:10 What Will You Accept From God?

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job 2:10

It is easy for a person to accept things when they are good or comfortable. When everything is going just as one desires people are happy and accept it. The moment anything begins to go differently than as planned or desired, people get upset and begin to complain and blame others for what is occurring wrong.

After losing his cattle, crops, servants and health, Job’s wife tells him to curse God and die. Job tells her she is speaking foolishly and that they should accept both good and trouble from God.

Going through a tough time of troubles is difficult for anyone. People struggle with understanding why they are having a difficult time. The first thing many people turn to is blaming God for what is happening, since many believe that God is supposed to be in control. Believers are no different than any other person.

As soon as trouble begins to hit their life, they begin to complain and often get angry with God. Many will try to justify with God as to why they should not have this trouble in their lives. The common expectation is that believers will have a troublesome free life because God is a good God.

Instead of complaining and getting angry with God, believers need to just trust what God has allowed in their lives and accept it. God will use everything for the good of those who trust and believe in Him. One must than praise God in the circumstances and may ask God to reveal what His purpose is and how one can grow more like Jesus through the difficulties.

You will have good days and bad days in your life, times of blessing and times of trouble. Every one of those days are days God has allowed in your life for a reason.

In those days of trouble and adversity, do not allow yourself to become bitter and angry with God or with others. Thank God for those days of blessing and thank God for those days of training and building through trouble. Press into God and hold onto Him, knowing He is allowing all for your good and His glory.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will trust God in every situation; that you will praise God in every situation; that you will accept all that God gives you; and that you know God’s great love for you.

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Deuteronomy 26:11 Are You Rejoicing In Your Blessings?

Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given you and your household. Deuteronomy 26:11

Everyone has different things in their household. Some have a lot of things, while others not as much. Some will have very high dollar things, while others have things that don’t cost very much.

Being grateful for what one has is not always very common. Many are looking at what others have that they do not have and are complaining and grumbling about what they do not have.

Moses told the Israelites along with the foreigners to rejoice in the good things God had given them.

It is easy for a person to look at the faults of what he has and complain about them. One can also look at what he does not have and feels he needs and complain about the lack.

No matter how much a person has, people tend to want even more. They want the newer, the better or fancier things that they do not have, rather than being grateful with what God has given them.

Believers can fall into this same trap of being ungrateful as the world lives in. Instead of being grateful for what God has blessed them with, many believers are complaining and begging God for more. It is ignoring all the things God has already given and allowing pride, jealousy and greed to set in.

If a person has food, clothing, shelter, forgiveness and salvation, he has all that he needs whether it is just a little or a lot of those things. Anything else acquired is an extra bonus blessing from God. Believers need to rejoice in what God has given, rather than ignoring what they have.

You may have a lot of things or a few things. You may have things you like and there are things you desire to have some day. Do not allow yourself to focus on what you do not have but put your focus on what God has already blessed you with.

As you rejoice in the blessings already given, you will see that you have all that you need and often more than you need. God will always provide what you need, which may be much or little, great or small.

Rejoice in God’s blessings instead of complaining about what the world has.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will see what God has blessed you with; that you will rejoice in what God has given you; and that you will be content with the blessings and provision of God in your life.

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Numbers 11:6 Be Content With Your Blessing

But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna! Numbers 11:6

Although most people do not like change, the majority of people do like some variety in life. Having or doing the exact same thing all the time will often drive many people a bit crazy. At the beginning it sounds nice and good, but later the novelty wears off and complaining will often start.

Modern society has created things to be very short and temporary. Everything changes on a regular basis so that no one gets bored or tired of the same thing day after day.

While traveling through the wilderness, God provided the Israelites with manna. After some time, the Israelites complained about losing their appetite because all they were eating was manna.

At the point of receiving a blessing, most people are excited and very grateful. However, very often, later people lose that excitement begin to complain about the blessing that they are receiving if there is no change.

The Israelites were blessed with the manna. They did not have to go out and search for it, the manna was brought to them. All they had to do was go outside their tent and pick it up and cook it for food. Yet, they lost sight of the blessing and began to complain about it.

Believers often lose sight of the blessing of what God has given them. They see others with something different or ‘better’ and begin to despise what they have. Discontentment sets in and rejection of what God is providing arises.

As God opens doors of provision, the believer must be grateful. He must realize that without God’s provision, he might not have anything or be in a worse position. Complaining or discontentment will only bring about death of the relationship with God.

In your life there may be some things that you must live with, that God has provided. These items may not be the best or greatest, but they are what God has blessed you with. Someone else may not have what you are blessed with.

Do not allow yourself to become discontent and begin to complain about what God has given you. Step back and realize that you may be in a worse position if you did not have what you are blessed with.

God is a good God and will always provide what you need, so be thankful for His provision.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will be grateful for what God has given you; that you will not complain against God for His provision in your life; and that God will open your eyes to see the blessings of what He has given you.

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James 5:8 Be Patient And Keep Standing

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5:8

Nearly every person around the world is waiting for something to occur. Most commonly people are waiting in some type of line. It could be a line in a store or a line in heavy traffic or in a line of time waiting for something to arrive.

During the time of waiting in line, it is extremely common to hear someone complaining about the waiting. No matter how fast things are, they should be faster. This becomes even more true, when there is pain in the waiting.

As James is talking about suffering for Christ, he tells the people to be patient and stand firm, because Jesus is returning soon.

When a person is having a great time and enjoying what he is doing, the time appears to fly by very quickly. He has no complaints because everything is going perfectly or at least going his way at the moment. Joy and pleasure are being experienced.

However, life is not always fun and games. There are times of difficulties, pain and suffering. Along with normal pain and suffering, believers may also experience persecution, causing more suffering.

The world will be quick to complain about the suffering and blame whatever they can on their circumstances.

True believers will realize that all the pain and suffering that they are going through is only temporary. Their focus is not on the here and now, but on the return of Jesus and eternity.

Instead of grumbling and complaining, they wait patiently, standing upon God’s promises, knowing that it will all come to an end soon when Jesus returns. As they wait, they continue to fulfill God’s purpose on this earth–to build His kingdom and become more like Jesus every day.

You may be going through some suffering right now. It may be natural sufferings of the temporary body and life on this earth, or it may be suffering from persecution for your belief in Jesus.

Either way it is painful. Do not give into the suffering and begin complaining, but focus upon the promise of Jesus’ soon return and eternal life in heaven with God.

Seek God’s purpose in the suffering and His grace to make it joyfully through the situation in your life. Soon you will have a perfect body, with no more suffering or pain for eternity in heaven with Jesus.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that God will help you have the patience needed to keep moving forward with Him; that you will stand firm upon the promise of the return of Jesus; and that you will see God at work in every situation in your life.