Abba, Father, I …

My son David turned five last December.

Now i know. Late four and early five is the period of immense complaints:

“Daddy, yesterday we prayed in Gracie’s room, why ..again today?

“Daddy i do not like this…”

“But daddy i do not want to go to bed now..”

“But daddy..”

It can wear you out. Today i had just had enough of it. But as i was busy getting annoyed, the Lord reminded me of my own baseless complaints to Him.

So this post is a reminder to myself whenever i am tempted to open my mouth and opine.

Why complaining is a no no

Why do we complain?

Basically, when things are not as we want them to be.

I will give you just three reasons why you should not make complaining a norm in your life.

1. The Lord knows what you need.

Even before you ask Him, He already knows your needs.

²⁴ Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear. ( Isaiah 65:24)

And He has taken measures to meet those needs. In fact, it is most likely that He has already met those needs, or is working towards meeting them.

For the  pagans (other people-mine ) run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ( Matthew 6:32)

So if that is the case, from whence cometh the complaints?

Many times it so happens that His solution to our needs and our preferred solutions do not match. And if you happen to  know better than He does, you open your mouth and out comes complaints. I will give you one example.

A couple of years back i sought to work for a certain high flying energy company. After going through a couple of interviews that went well, i failed to land the job. I was distraught. I complained. Soon after, i took a job with a “less glorious” firm instead.

Two years later, the high flying firm went bust. Enron style. My employer is still going strong. The Lord knew the future, i did not. He set my feet on sure footing. Yet i foolishly opened my mouth to opine, craving that which was dying.

2. A sign that you distrust the Lord’s ability

When David complains about the decision i have made or the provisions i have given him, i feel hurt at the “distrust” he shows me. I know he is only five, but i still feel slighted. And it annoys me not a little. Especially since i know the end of this things, and he does not.

When we complain about the situations our heavenly Father has let us to be in, we, like my son David, exhibit our childishness. We show distrust of our Father.

If i who is not fully capable of meeting 100% of what i plan or hope, can feel angry at this show of lack of trust, how much more unhappiness do you think your heavenly Father has when His children do not trust Him?

To say the least, He hates it.

And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. ( 1 Cor 10:10 NIV)

While in this dispensation He may not react the same way, you will be pouring cold water in your relationship/fellowship with Him if you continue in your complaints.

3 It is a sin

Based on the above two reasons , you can easily see why it is a sin to complain:

And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. ( 1 Cor 10:10 NIV)

In lieu of complaints..

So, sin no more by complaining. Instead, do the following:

1 Give thanks with a grateful heart

If you feel complaints rising, open your mouth, yes, but let thanks pour out.

Thanks for what?, someone might ask.  Are you kidding me? How about:

“i am alive” “i have eternal life”, “saving me”, “my good health” “I live in a country where food is plenty”, ” i have a roof over my head”, “i have a job”, ” i see no persecution’, ” i have all i need”

And if you find that such things are foreign to you and do not make sense, how about:

“Father, there is none like you”, “you are a loving God”, “you are gracious”, “you are patient with me”, “Father you watch over me in this evil world”

Really i should not even be saying anything about what you can be thankful for. If you still can not find something to be thankful for, then by all means, complain that you have nothing to be thankful for.

But i am sure that wont happen if you take time to consider the whole thing carefully. And just like the old song says, you will be amazed at the many things the Lord has done.

Count your many blessings name them one by one

For even better effect

Say them out aloud.

2 Ask

If you have nothing to be thankful for, then instead of complaining, how about the plain old asking?

If you have not, it is perhaps because you have asked not.

There is a big difference between complaining and asking.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

⁸For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  ⁹“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!  (Matthew 5:7-11)