“It’s too hot!” “It’s too cold! “I’m too young!” “I’m too old!”
No, this is not the new Dr. Seuss book.
This is the story of our lives.
Have you found yourself complaining about life’s situations or circumstances lately?
I used to think people who complained had a lot of problems, but I've come to realize that people have a lot of problems because they complain.
We talk about God and how much we love Him and how good He is, but we often live murmuring and complaining all the time.
I read an illustration of a cowboy that was driving down a dirt road with his dog riding in the back of the pickup truck, and his faithful horse in the trailer behind. He failed to negotiate a curve and had a terrible accident.
Sometime later, a highway patrol officer arrived on the scene. An animal lover, he saw the horse first. Realizing the serious nature of its injuries, he drew his service revolver and put the animal out of his misery. He walked around the accident and found the dog, also hurt critically. He couldn't bear to hear it whine in pain, so he ended the dog's suffering as well.
Finally, he located the cowboy, who suffered multiple fractures, off in the weeds. The cop asked, “Hey, are you okay?" The cowboy took one look at the smoking revolver in the trooper's hand and quickly replied, "Never felt better!"
You see, we often don’t realize the impact and results of our complaining.
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were thrown into a Philippian jail for casting out an evil spirit from a young girl. And you don’t see Paul complaining, but rejoicing. He trusted God’s sovereignty.
What if they had been murmuring, complaining, and griping about their situation? What if Silas had said, "Paul, youbig shot. You had to show off and cast the demon out of that girl. Now look at the trouble we’re in. Why couldn’t you have just left that demon possessed girl alone?"
If that dialogue had been going on between Paul and Silas, do you think the jailor would have asked, "What must I do to be saved?" I doubt it! He probably would have said, "What must I do to stay away from this Christianity thing?"
God uses our lives to influence others.
This is why the Bible so strongly condemns complaining.
The murmurings and grumblings of complaints are evidence that we are dissatisfied with the way God is doing things.
Paul writes in Ephesians 1:11 that “God makes everything work out according to His plan.”
Complaining is unbelief in God’s Word which says, “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28). If the Christian really believes that the Lord is in control of their life and He is working “ALL THINGS together for good,” he will stop complaining and start thanking the Lord for the plan He is working together for him.
Do you complain?
Think about it for a minute. What are your comments about the weather usually like? How do you speak about your spouse? What kinds of things do you say about your job? Are you truly content with what the Lord determines for you?
Complaining is just the surface symptom of a much deeper problem--discontentment.
Contentment is determined by what we believe. And our belief is fueled by what we’re seeing.
Contentment comes by seeing the Treasure.
Jesus was a treasure to Paul. What Paul saw in Jesus was what the man in Jesus’ parable saw in the field:
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44)
Fifteen minutes before the man saw the treasure, would he have been content to sell everything and buy the field? No way! However, fifteen minutes after he saw it, he was off to the auctioneer.
What was the difference? He saw the treasure.
The secret to contentment in “whatever situation” is seeing the Treasure that exceeds them all.
A story is told of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. "Why aren't you out there fishing?" he asked.
"Because I've caught enough fish for today," said the fisherman.
"Why don't you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked.
"What would I do with them?”
"You could earn more money and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you'd have a fleet of boats and be rich like me."
The fisherman asked, "Then what would I do?"
"You could sit down and enjoy life," said the industrialist.
The fisherman replied, "What do you think I'm doing now?"
Paul writes in Philippians 4:11-13:
“I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
Amen!
Pastor Daniel Heraldez