Complaining
In Psalm 144, David prays for the Lord to prosper Israel so that there would be "no complaining in our streets."
But in Psalm 142, he says that he "poured out his complaint before the Lord," he "shewed before him" his trouble.
We are told to do all things without murmuring or disputing; complaining or arguring... so why does David admit to complaining to the Lord? Isn't complaining "wrong"?
Maybe the sin of complaining lies in to whom we are telling our complaints, and the attitude in which we speak. Do we go around chanting "nobody knows the trouble I've seen, nobody knows my sorrow," and live in a despondent mood? If so, that type of complaining is done out of rebellion to the Lord. We are not willing to acknowledge that "whatever our God ordains is right."
But David was complaining to the Lord out of trust and submission to Him. He knew that it was only the Lord Who was capable of changing his circumstances. He didn't go around complaining "in the streets" to everyone who would listen; he took his burden to the Lord and left it there.
But in Psalm 142, he says that he "poured out his complaint before the Lord," he "shewed before him" his trouble.
We are told to do all things without murmuring or disputing; complaining or arguring... so why does David admit to complaining to the Lord? Isn't complaining "wrong"?
Maybe the sin of complaining lies in to whom we are telling our complaints, and the attitude in which we speak. Do we go around chanting "nobody knows the trouble I've seen, nobody knows my sorrow," and live in a despondent mood? If so, that type of complaining is done out of rebellion to the Lord. We are not willing to acknowledge that "whatever our God ordains is right."
But David was complaining to the Lord out of trust and submission to Him. He knew that it was only the Lord Who was capable of changing his circumstances. He didn't go around complaining "in the streets" to everyone who would listen; he took his burden to the Lord and left it there.
4 Comments:
Very good analysis of complaining, Jessie! It's sort of like gossiping to an univolved party v. respectfully discussing a person's problems with that person. Maybe(?).
Yes, you're right Susan. I see the correlation to gossiping there! : )
hello friend, I finally got here! It's been so much fun to look around, and you've made me laugh (as always)a number of times. There are lots of youth group memories here ya know... :-) Funny how they become such a part of us that we remember them years later. I wish that I could keep track of the blog from college, it would be fun. As is, email and phone (and snail mail every once in a while right?) will have to do. I'll start checking in during vacations! Love you girl.
Hey Jessi! I started reading your comment thinking, who is this? This doesn't sound like the other Jessica I know on Blogger, and this one's calling me "friend"-- *oh, whoops* It's Jessi, of course!! sorry *bashful look* : ) I just didn't expect you.
Thanks for finally looking at my stuff! Glad I could make you laugh ; )
And yes, snail mail... you like getting that, and I never send it, do I? And I have no excuse, since I even have your address memorized!! Remember that string of the number of verses in the first 8 chapter of Romans?? I haven't recited them in a while, but I'm sure they're all still in there somewhere : ) That was fun.
Too bad you couldn't come with us to Miss Ruby's-- ! Idea ! Come with me sometime! How long are you here for??
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