Faith and Complaints

Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, my way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God? Isaiah 40: 27. NIV

Indeed. Why? Why do we complain to the Lord? Is it okay to complain to the Lord? Is there some kind of balance we need? Lately I’ve begun unofficially trying to monitor my “complaints”. I know, you may be thinking, why would you do that?

One of my goals this year is to actively add more gratitude, thankfulness and appreciation to the Lord. As I strive to implement this goal, I’ve discovered one distraction is grumbling and mumbling in my heart. The tap in my bathtub doesn’t always shut off. I had a plumber come a few years ago and work on it. The plumber replaced the normal plastic type washer with a metal one, but told me the fixture itself was poorly made. So, it is a pain to remember to double, triple or even quadruple turn it off after every use. Sometimes, I think it is off, and when I come back, I discover a slow drip….frustration!!! Mumble, grumble.

Enter into my kitchen. I have an older home that was built in 1969. When we moved into it in 1990, the kitchen cabinets were in bad shape. I don’t think my mom ever cleaned them, so they were greasy and dirty. I tried my best to clean the wood. I used so many different products, but it only made things worse. We’ve talked about redoing the cabinets, but I have 33 cabinet doors, 21 drawers, plus soffits above all the cabinets. I confess I do mumble and grumble because it doesn’t look pretty and clean as modern kitchens do.

Then there is the mumble and grumble that happens when I feel sad and lonely because my husband has passed. He had promised to help redo the kitchen cabinets. He would at least help me keep the shower from dripping. But he was also my go-to person for processing thoughts and ideas. Discussing scripture and revelations. He helped carry the concerns of our children and grandchildren; now I feel it’s all on me.

One more mumble/grumble…happens when my daughter-in-law, who is walking a long road with a cancer diagnosis, can’t get her treatment due to low platelet numbers. It has been a longer road than first expected. When her first six treatments didn’t work as well as they wanted, they added 14 more. We are so close to finishing…you see I added the “we”, when it is really her journey. She has three more (plus other years-long pills,etc. )) treatments. My heart sinks when they say, no treatment today. I am concerned for her body and why it isn’t producing enough platelets. I also just want her to be done and have it over. Mumble/grumble.

I mumble/grumble because my body aches and doesn’t work like it used to. I want to grow older, but not with the pains of aging. So I’ve begun thanking the Lord for what I can do. It’s hard to exercise like I should, but I thank Him for His help.

I’ve decided to thank God I have a water and a shower to use whenever I want to. I don’t have to take a “bucket” bath as we did when we ministered in Ghana. I have a wonderful kitchen that is clean enough to cook and serve healthy meals. The number of cabinets and drawers are amazing. My mom designed the kitchen, and having a place for everything was important to her. I ‘m grateful for such a kitchen, especially when I think of the homeless. As far as my daughter-in-law is concerned , I am grateful for advances in the medical world that is destroying the cancer that would take her life. I am grateful they monitor her levels, so her body isn’t taxed more than it should be. The Lord has promised to be a husband to the widow. When I take the time to bring my needs to Him, He helps me find solutions. It causes me to lean on Him more, and that is not a bad thing.

Sometimes, my mumble/grumbles mask deeper issues. Fears and issues of things I can’t control. It keeps me focused on small concerns, so I don’t have to look at the bigger picture and bigger problems. My heart breaks as I read through Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel and see the parallels in our own country. I get frustrated with the Israelite’s for not responding to the Lord, when I struggle to do the same. I wonder if my prayers for my Facebook friend in India are making a difference. She tells me her government is enacting anti-conversion laws to punish Christians who share the gospel. I think about believers in prison for their faith across the world and wonder what their complaints are. What would they say to us? I think about the lost, and how so many haven’t heard of our Savior.

It is easy to grumble/mumble about the “they’s” in our life. The government, our spiritual leaders, our spouses, our children–anyone who doesn’t think, act or respond as we think they should. James reminds us in James 4: 9: Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. Ouch. That is straight talk.

David brought his complaints to the Lord, and so can/should we. It isn’t good to complain about the Lord, but He always listens to our complaints. Taking time in His presence can change our attitude in so many ways. I complain to Him about me…and He resets my perspective…another reason why I love Him.

Father, I thank you for loving the complaining me enough to help me change. Thank you we don’t have to stay miserable complainers, but can become grateful believers. Thank you, Father, for helping us change to become more like you, In Jesus’ Name, amen.