No
one likes to be overruled, especially in front of 60 thousand people. We play
in rainy weather, cold weather, and hot weather. We play in imperfect
conditions yet we want perfect officiating. Some bad calls are part of the game.
-Gene Stallings on why he refuses to use
instant replay
Although
Coach Stallings was speaking of football, I believe this quote can be applied
to our lives as Christians. We know that we live in an imperfect world. We know
that we are imperfect people. We know that God never promised us an easy life,
but rather an eternal home. We know all this, yet we often find ourselves in
the same trap the Israelites fell into time and time again. We complain about
the bad things or inconveniences in our lives.
So
why do we complain? As Christians should we not be the most joyful people on
the face of the earth? How does God feel about our complaining?
“Now
these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some
of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to
play. Neither let us commit fornication,
as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of
them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were
destroyed of the destroyer.”
1 Corinthians 10:6-10
Did
you read that? Murmuring or complaining is listed with lust, idolatry, fornication
and tempting Christ? If you think complaining isn’t serious, think again! God
considers complaining to be a very serious thing. The Holy Spirit recorded that
the Israelites were destroyed because of their complaining. The New Testament
reinforces how God feels about our complaining.
“Do all things without murmurings and
disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without
rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as
lights in the world;”
Philippians 2:14
We
all have our struggles and this is one of mine. After reading these verses, I
realized that I have a tendency to complain often. I never thought about it all
that much because like worry, we seem to brush it off by saying, “Oh well,
everyone does it.” Does that make it okay? Does that make it any less serious
in God’s eyes? Absolutely not!
Remember,
Jesus told us in Matt. 12:37 that our words will justify or condemn us in the
last days. I, for one, need to be more aware of the words I choose, even the
idle and fruitless ones-Matt. 12:36. But how can I accomplish this?
First,
I can ask God for help in keeping my tongue pure. James told us chapter 4 verse
2, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” So
not only are we to pray but to vigilantly give thanks. If my heart is focused
on constantly thanking God for all the blessing he has chosen to bestow upon
me, I won’t be so quick to complain just because something fails to go my way.
God has given me beyond what I deserve and even if something doesn’t work out
that I feel should, I do not lose faith that the Creator of the Universe will
fail to care for me.
Let
us all dedicate our hearts to thinking and speaking differently. Recognize the
things in your life that cause you to complain and guard your heart against
them. Replace them with thanksgiving today and everyday.
“Give thanks unto the
Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.”
1
Chronicles 16:8
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