Without Complaint

Murmuring and complaining are sure indicators of a defiled attitude. A defiled attitude is one that doesn’t take in consideration the day by day benevolent care of the Heavenly Father. So comprehensive is His care that He is the God of hair and sparrows. He knows every sparrow that falls and every hair on one’s head. “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

When one complains about people and circumstances he is in essence profaning the name and the person of the Father. The Father monitors the issues and circumstances of life in the best and the worst of times. Nothing happens to His children that is not under the umbrella of His divine care. Complaint is based on one’s discontent with the kind of care the Father provides for him and is a denial of the love and the quality of His benevolent provisions.

To confess Jesus before men is to declare His person and faithfulness in every situation and context. It is to look beyond the adversity of the moment, see the larger picture of God’s gracious intent, and consequently voice pleasure regarding all that He is and is doing in life.

Paul suffered much for the sake of the Gospel. His testimony details the adversities he faced in his pursuit of faithfulness: “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:24-28).

What is significant for our consideration is the attitude with which he faced his trials. He said: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

He had many options as to how he could have viewed his adversities. He chose to face his trials by seeing them in a positive note—seeing them as a vehicle of God’s greater plan and blessing for and on his life.

Victory is not first of all a matter of circumstance. It is a choice of attitude. No matter how difficult, confusing or conflicting details of one’s life may be, the pathway to victory is to confess the presence and power of Jesus fully and completely into that situation. To see Him in the fullness of His glory reigning over all of life but displaying His grace to the fullest extent in our adversity.

Jeff