I Won't Complain

"I've had some good days. I've had some hills to climb. I've had some weary days and some sleepless nights. But when I look around and I think things over, all of my good days outweigh my bad days. I won't complain."  (Excerpt from "I Won't Complain," by Rev. Paul Jones)

Sometimes when we're climbing steep hills, growing weary and losing sleep, it seems natural to complain.  In fact, it IS natural. 

The Israelites complained when they had to eat "chicken and biscuits" every single day in the wilderness.  They forgot all about the true function of food as fuel for the body, and the fact that even though they were in the wilderness, they didn't have to do anything to obtain the food. 

There they were, bellies full of food and mouths full of complaint about their poor deprived palates.  It seems to me that hungry folks would not necessarily care if the food was good, but would realize that simply having food was in and of itself, good. Some folks are just never satisfied!

While it is natural to complain, those of us who are followers of Christ have a helper to enable us to do the supernatural.  That helper is God's Holy Spirit who leads us and guides us into all truth.  And, the truth is, regardless of how bad things are, we really have no room to complain if we truly walk by faith and not by sight.  If we really believe that ALL things work together for the good, we can begin to see the steep hills and even the low valleys as tools of preparation: 

Sometimes the clouds are low.  I can hardly see the road.  I ask a question, Lord, "Why so much pain?"  But he knows what's best for me, although my weary eyes, they can't see.  So I'll just say, "Thank you Lord."  I won't complain....

God's Word in 1Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In everything give thanks..."  The key word here is in.  Honestly, there are some things that we simply cannot be thankful for.  But, in the midst of hard times, we can still give a sacrifice of praise to God, whose praiseworthiness is not based upon our lives, but His.

This Thanksgiving, ask the Lord to give you supernatural strength not to complain.  If your Thanksgiving meal is not picture perfect, don't complain.  If a certain family member predictably behaves more like a turkey than the meat on the table, don't complain.  If you are asked to lead the grace at dinner, don't complain.  If none of your plans seem to fall in place, don't complain.  Complaining won't change anything for the better, and giving thanks can help prevent you from becoming bitter.   Remember, the song is not titled, "I can't complain," it's "I won't complain...."

BNcouraged!

Rev. Karen