To My Daughters...
Complaining is something I do...so I need reminders as to why I should not. Therefore I am beginning this series of short studies on reasons why we should not complain.
The first reason: complaining displeases our Lord and arouses His anger. Now, let's think about this. Why does our complaining displease God? Put yourself, if you can, in the position of God for a moment. Here are your people that you created and sent your Son to die for COMPLAINING. What are they complaining about - ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THEM DISCOMFORT. In the Israelites' case, God had just miraculously delivered them from terrible bondage AND YET THEY CHOSE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FOOD HE WAS PROVIDING FOR THEM DAILY. If you are a mom or dad you probably grow weary when your children complain about what you make them for dinner. Here God is sending them food from heaven...providing for them daily and they tell Him that if they have to eat it any longer they would rather go back into bondage. Oh boy! As believers, we are heirs of God...joint heirs with Christ and will be glorified with Him. The sufferings here, the Bible tells us, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that which shall be revealed in us.
Here is what we forget when we, who believe, complain. We forget that we deserve nothing but death at the hands of God. He would be perfectly justified to destroy us all. And yet, instead, He has shown mercy. The Bible tells us this in Psalm 103:10:
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
Lamentations 3:39 says:
Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?
Read Psalm 103 in its entirety and be reminded of all the reasons we have NOT TO COMPLAIN!
Love
Mom
Psalm 103
A Psalm of David.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul;And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father pities his children,
So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
14 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.[a]
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
18 To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.
19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the LORD, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
22 Bless the LORD, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
