Complaint Department Series

INTRO.- ILL.- A monk joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. After the first 10 years his superior called him in and asked, "Do you have anything to say?" The monk replied, "Food bad." After another 10 years the monk again had opportunity to voice his thoughts. He said, "Bed hard." Another 10 years went by and again he was called in before his superior. When asked if he had anything to say, he responded, "I quit." His superior said, "It doesn't surprise me a bit. You've done nothing but complain ever since you got here."

If that’s all the complaining anybody ever did we’d be in good shape. Or if we never complained but every 10 years we would be considered as saints by most people. But this is not the norm for most people. It seems like we all tend to be more negative than positive about life. We see the bad stuff instead of looking at things from a positive view.

ILL.- For example, a survey asked mothers to keep track of how many times they made negative, compared with positive, comments to their children. They admitted that they criticized ten times for every time they said something favorable. A three-year survey in one city's schools found that the teachers were 75% negative. (I guess 75% of the time)

OH WOW! Are we humans that bad? Are we that negative? Do we complain more than we commend? Are we more negative than positive?

ILL.- It’s like that old story about the guy who took his family to church. As they were driving home after church he complained about everything. He said, “The music was too loud. The sermon was too long. The announcements were unclear. The building was hot. The people were unfriendly.” He went on and on, complaining about virtually everything. Finally, his son said, “Dad, you’ve got to admit, it wasn’t a bad show for just a dollar.”

If God were as negative as we are where do you think we’d be?

2 Corinthians 1:20 “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

All of God’s promises are “yes” in Christ. And they are many. They positive in Christ. They are positively good in Christ. And no one offers anything better to mankind than God. This being true then we should be more positive about life than negative.

We always have hope in Christ for better days and hope for our future eternity with Him. We have everything going for us because we are in Christ and we can trust in all of His promises in the Bible!

Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:32-33 “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

I don’t think you can get any more positive than these verses. GOD IS ON OUR SIDE! Consequently, we can be and must be more positive in life and complain less than others.

PROP.- But what do we do when we have a complaint in life? Where do we turn? The Psalmist tells us.

1- We pour out our complaints to the Lord

2- We confess the Lord as our refuge

3- We ask for the Lord’s help in time of need

I WE POUR OUT OUR COMPLAINTS TO THE LORD

1 I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. 3 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. 4 Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

ILL.- Out West, a cowboy was driving down a dirt road, his dog riding in back of the pickup truck, his faithful horse in the trailer behind. He failed to negotiate a curve and had a terrible accident. Sometime later, a highway patrol officer came 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.