Complainer

We have no reason to complain for our afflictions.

-Christopher Love, Puritan

This one hits close to home. I often find myself as a complainer and it shames me. The smallest thing at times causes me to grumble. I have a mother, father, brother and sister with some sort of medical conditions and I never hear a word from them. My grandmother dealt with afflictions most of my life and she never grumbled. I’m the healthy one so far! Where does my complaining come from?

I don’t usually share my complaining out of embarrassment for my own weakened faith at times. I don’t want people to see me as a complainer, someone that would constantly nag others with their troubles. But I also know it’s not wrong to let people know when we are hurting or sick. The wrong part is the complaining.

For me, when I’m dealing with afflictions I will throw a huge pity party for myself and not invite anyone. Then when the wallowing for a time is over and my thoughts clear, I go to scripture. Sometimes I do this automatically, but I won’t lie, I don’t always go there first like I should.

God has given us His word and He expects us to rely on Him and search His word in our times of trouble, along with having a prayerful, obedient heart. All the answers are there, they may not be readily found, and it most likely won’t be found if we just close our eyes and open to any page planning on the answer to leap off of the page (I have done this also).

But if we humble ourselves and seek Him, He will be found. He isn’t hiding from us, it’s generally us hiding from Him or forgetting Him because we are so focused on ourself.

I will leave you with two verses to think on, and I will think on them too.

Psalms 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all”

Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us”

Christopher Love (1618, Cardiff, Wales – 22 August 1651, London) was a Welsh Presbyterian preacher and activist during the English Civil War. In 1651, he was executed by the English government for plotting with the exiled Stuart court. The Puritan faction in England considered Love to be a martyr and hero.