This is not my favorite time of the week. Staring at our combined Google calendars and discussing the upcoming schedule always makes me agitated. Not overwhelmed, not stressed--agitated. Annoyed. Irritable.
Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then, you will shine among them like stars in the sky.
At times, ministry feels like a constant crisis, an ongoing pressurized situation. We're running full-speed ahead, a sprinter's pace in a marathon race. My first response, one that has become a habit and has gone quite unchecked, is to complain. My fleshly tendency is to see the glass half-empty, to notice what is not there, and to infect my husband's perspective with my moaning and griping. I am deeply sad to report this reality, and I've been convicted often about this, knowing that this is an area in my life that God wants authority over and wants to transform.
Everything. Do everything without complaining.
God is showing me that complaining is a verbal communication of an inner disquiet or discontentment, for out of the heart the mouth speaks. Complaining is always wishing for more or different. For me, my complaining spirit is closely related to fear, which I know to be a distrust of God, and pride, which I know to be a desire to be God.
To do everything without complaining would not mean developing a fake optimism or striving to change my verbal habits. It would mean believing that the half-glass is enough. It would mean that I believe God will supply my every need, including the time and energy and wisdom to fulfill each day's calling. It means that when I don't get things how I want them to be, I see it as God's protection. Instead of complaining, my first response must be to trust.
It's interesting to me that this is how Paul says we will impact our cultures, cultures full of complaining and stress and fear and control and distrust. He says our verbal word choices--and the trusting heart they spring from--have an incredible influence in reaching nonbelievers. This is the kind of person I want to be, and I'm allowing God to root out fleshly habits in my life that might destroy His image. I'm thankful He is patient and hasn't given up on me.
He will help my first response become a quiet heart, content and trusting.
8 comments:
Christine,
I'm in that boat. I often feel like Jonah, all I see is what I feel and not the God reality of the situation. I know our Lord is doing a major overhauling in many areas of my life and walk. This is definitely one of them. Thanks for posting.
Naomi
I can relate to the Jonah reference. I see what is lacking, not all the blessings and gifts of what God is doing. In some ways, I'm glad I'm not alone, but I will pray for you as I allow God to do this work in me, Naomi. Thanks for your comment.
Christine, I've been in a situation like this one yesterday. I was involved in church activities during all morning. Then I had many activities until 4:00 pm, when I had to go back to church for worship team rehearsal, and night service.
When I was on my way to chuch in the afternoon, I was feeling completely empty... I told God - 'I am SO tired. I NEED to rest. A person cannot give what she doesn't have... I have NOTHING to give to your church tonight, God. I feel so empty... Please sustain me.'
For my surprise, night services was a blessing. God's presence was unbelievably felt by our church, and in the end of the night, I was SO recovered! I know myself, and I know that only God could make such thing on me.
I thank Him for this amazing experience. And thank Him for your post, that only reassures me that He is able to keep us, and help us.
Thank you for sharing that, Ethel. That's a beautiful example.
Love it. Especially: "For me, my complaining spirit is closely related to fear, which I know to be a distrust of God, and pride, which I know to be a desire to be God.
Thank you for this fabulous and timely post! My sister in law shared it on facebook and I am so grateful that she did. This meets me right where I am at at the moment in the midst of toddler/newborn life! :) Blessings xx
Wow, this speaks right to my heart. "It would mean believing that the half-glass is enough." That what we have at our disposal, because of Christ, is enough. That's so opposite of how I think sometimes. Thank you for this encouragement. The Holy Spirit is convicting my heart, and I need that.
So, so true about our words. I, too, have been convicted of my poor attitude. I see it reflected in my children's attitude about church, in my own attitude about church, and in my husband's reluctance to share things with me. We have the same experience with google calendar, too! If Jesus' ministry did not cause him to complain, I think that I can do better with ours. :) Thanks for the encouragement, and for pointing to Christ.
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