I WON’T COMPLAIN
Exodus 15:22-25/Exodus 16:2-4
Brothers and sisters as I attended my sister-in-law’s funeral yesterday everyone seemed to have the same thing to say about her. Everyone remembered her as a loving soul that never had anything negative to say about anybody and even through all her suffering and pain never complained. She went through her trial with the knowledge and belief that no matter what happened God was and always is in control. She led the life that many talked about but few seldom walked.
She led an example filled life that said that if you are going to trust God leave it alone and let Him handle it. He has brought you through time and time again and surely He is able to do it again. Instead of thanking God for His goodness and His mercy we too often complain about what we don’t have; what we wish we could get and what we don’t understand is going on. We are not going to understand everything.
That is why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” In other words we will understand it better by and by. Complaining has become a way of life for many people. Some people aren’t happy unless they are complaining. They complain about every little thing. When things aren’t going our way we complain.
When our lives aren’t turning out the way we thought it would, we complain. When God doesn’t answer our prayers when we want Him to or how we want Him to, we complain. When we aren’t the center of attention, we complain. When the sun shines and the day is hot we say, “It’s too hot”. When God sends the rains to cool us down we complain about it ruining plans we may have for outside activities. No matter what our situation we seem to find something to complain about.
It seems we always magnify the bad points while overlooking the good points. We dwell on the sad times and forget about the glad times. We find fault in everything and everybody without thinking that the actual problem could be ourselves. So many times we find a way to make our present situation seem worse than it actually is. Brothers and sisters we need to realize that no matter what our situation, there is always someone worse than we are.
We need to thank God that He is able to make a way. We put too much emphasis on what we can do to make it better and not enough on following God’s plan for keeping it better. In our passages this morning, the children of Israel have been through two more trials since the crossing of the Red Sea. First they find themselves with nothing to drink and then they are afraid that they will soon have nothing to eat.
Even though these people have seen their deliverance from Egypt; even though they have been able to cross the Red Sea and leave Pharaoh behind; even though God has led them night and day, they still seem to complain about things they cannot control. Brothers and sisters we have to understand that there are going to be some situations that will arise in our lives that we will not be able to control. There are going to be some things we can’t handle.
But if we keep in mind that our God has everything in control; that He has it all in the palm of His hand, we should be able to rest and stop complaining. If we take our problems to God I know He can work it out. He may not work the way you want Him to but if you ask for His will to be done you know that everything will be alright. We’ve got to put it all in His hands. All of our burdens; all of our problems and all of our questions must be placed in the Master’s hands.
Too often we want to say that we trust the Lord and will do whatever He says. But truly what we want to do is to analyze the situation and do what we want to do. We feel that God is moving too slow on some things and so we, in our vast and infinite wisdom, take matters into our own hands. We seem to say Lord I know you can but let me help you out a little. Let me show you what I need done. I know you know all but let me show you what I need and most of all what I want.
Brothers and sisters it seems that we are too often a forgetful people. We forget all about the blessings that God has bestowed upon us. We forget about the storms He has brought us through. We forget about when the bills were due and our pockets were empty, how God made a way. We forget about when the doctors say there’s nothing more He can do Doctor Jesus steps in and can change the diagnosis. We forget how if He doesn’t change it He will give you rest.
We forgot that the same God that delivered us once is able to do it again and again. Brothers and sisters there is one thing that is good to know. Even in the midst of our complaining; even in the middle of our pity parties, God has compassion on us and hears our pleas. He knows what we need and when we need it. He looks beyond our complaints; He looks beyond our faults and sees our needs. Brothers and sisters, as believers in Christ we should know there is no need to complain.
We serve a risen Savior who will supply all our needs. The 23rd Psalms says so. For in it David said, “The Lord is my shepherd that I shall not want”. We have a Savior that will stay by our side. Hebrews 13 verse 5 says, “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”. We should be thankful that we have a Savior who didn’t complain. Jesus, who died for the sins of man, could have complained but as we see in Luke 22:42, He says, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
Jesus did not complain. He didn’t complain when He hung, bled and died on Calvary’s Cross for your sins and for mine. He didn’t complain when He was laid in Joseph’s borrowed tomb. And I’m so glad that my God didn’t complain to be the payment for my sins. He got up early one Sunday morning; stepped out on resurrection ground proclaiming all power in heaven and in earth is in His hands.
Brothers and sisters as I hurry to a close I want to put on your minds the words sung by Paul Jones. 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;
Oh, when I look around and see how good God has been to me; when I look around and see my family and friends are alright now; when I look around and recognize that among all the violence and destruction, Jesus has been a fence all around me; when I look around and recognize that it was nothing but God grace that I am here today;
ALL OF MY GOOD DAYS OUTWEIGH MY BAD DAYS AND I WON’T COMPLAIN. Not only won’t I complain but I can’t complain. I haven’t been through enough to justify complaining. I haven’t had enough trials and tribulations to cause complaining.
Yes, brothers and sisters, I’ve been down but I’ve never been out. I’ve seen bad times but I’ve never been alone. Even when I was at my worst and Jesus had to reach way down, He still picked me up. When I thought I had no where else to go, Jesus showed me a way out. When I felt all alone Jesus said, “Lo I am with you always”. When I felt that no one cared Jesus died for me. Ain’t God all right?
Aren’t you glad that Jesus died for you? Aren’t you glad that He gave you a reason not to complain? Aren’t you glad that Jesus paid it all?
