Positively Free! Series

Have you learned this very basic fact of living? Life is not fair. It will be fair in heaven but not here. But here’s the worst thing! When we complain we are not just saying life is not fair, we’re saying "God is not fair!" We may as well say to our Heavenly Father, "If I was God, I wouldn’t do it this way!" Are you comfortable standing in front of God and saying, “You’re not doing your job right God!” Here’s lesson #1 about complaining: Complaining is an expression of spiritual immaturity. Like a baby who whines at every discomfort, a complainer is one who has not learned to put their total trust and dependence on God.

(2) Attitude that brings on a critical spirit is the martyr. The favorite phrase of the martyr is: "No one appreciates me." Now, this person is a pro at having pity parties. These are the people that you don’t dare ask how they are feeling because they just might tell you.. and tell you... They are like the hypochondriac who had put on his tombstone.. "I told you I wasn’t feeling well and you wouldn’t listen.."Lesson #2- Complainers forget past provisions. Have you every griped about something that you complained about in the past but God provided? We complain about aches and pains, but our body has been aging all along and somehow God has sustained us and He promises a new body when we get to heaven. We complain about our finances... "I’ve not got enough income coming in." And yet, we’ve had similar problems before and God provided then. When will we get to the point that we give up our martyr’s complex and conclude that since God has provided for us in the past, He’ll do so in the future and quit griping?

(3) Attitude is "cynic." The catch phrase for this complainer is "Nothing will ever change." The Israelites traveled in the wilderness after God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. During their travels He led them by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night. They were given water when thirsty and every day, a bread like substance called manna fed them. But in spite of His care they grumbled against God. Num.11:4-6- "Some troublemakers among them wanted better food, and soon all the Israelites began complaining. They said, “We want meat! 5We remember the fish we ate for free in Egypt. We also had cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. 6But now we have lost our appetite; nothing changes, we never see anything but this manna!”(NCV) Nothing ever changes? Yet, it had changed dramatically! They were no longer slaves in Egypt, they had been delivered through the Red Sea, they were being given food for free. But that’s the attitude of the cynic. "What’s the use? Why even try, it won’t make any difference." Lesson #3- Complaining demonstrates a lack of faith. When we complain we are grumbling against God. The complaining cynic forgets God’s goodness, never being quite satisfied with what God has done.

(4) This is the "perfectionist." This complainer is unpleaseable. The favorite phrase of the perfectionist is: "Is that the best you can do?" Now, this one will touch all of us with type A personalities, people who are driven to do things just so. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re the only one that can do it well, or complaining about how it should of been done better. Maybe that’s why Prov.27:15 says: "A nagging spouse is like the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet; 16You can’t turn it off, and you can’t get away from it." (MSG)