Dear SCC & Friends,
…should anyone complain? ~Lamentations 3:39
Reflection #336
Why should any living mortal, or any man, offer complaint in view of his sins? ~Lam. 3:39 Complaining is an expression of dissatisfaction, annoyance or frustration about something believed to be wrong, unfair, difficult or not the result we want. The opposite of complaining isn’t quietly pretending everything is good – It’s trusting the Lord is at work in present circumstances… Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him… ~Prov. 3:5-6 Complaining is as natural as breathing and can take root both as a habit and attitude. We rarely complain about ourselves as “we are not the problem, it’s the other guy.” Complaining and blame shifting is nothing new… Adam blamed Eve, “The woman you gave me caused me to sin.” Israel repeatedly complained in the wilderness and David complained throughout the Psalms… Even the Apostles and early church had to deal with complaining hearts… It doesn’t matter if we are Jew or Gentile, male or female, rich or poor, young or old… All of us complain when we marginalize or forget what the Lord has done for us… As long as a man is alive and out of hell, he cannot have any reason to complain. ~Spurgeon~
Some Scriptures seem impossible to live by and this is one of them… Do all things without grumbling or disputing… ~Philip. 2:14 I’ve proven myself more than capable of both complaining and blame shifting at the same time… It’s like being “sinfully ambidextrous”. It takes little effort to find fault and feel justified. If you never complain, you are simply not breathing and this reflection carries no weight. The antidote to complaining is a heart of gratitude. It’s hard, if not impossible, to complain when we are grateful. Be thankful in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~1 Thess. 5:18 Breakthrough is not about a change in unwanted circumstances but a change in our perspective and attitude. Complaining focuses on what is wrong, while a grateful heart focuses and remembers… both on what God is doing and what He has done… Be on the lookout for mercies. The more we look for them, the more of them we will see…Better to lose count while naming your blessings than to lose your blessings to counting your troubles. ~Anonymous~ His mercies are new every morning… Keep up the good work!
Made for these days,
Kevin