I've spent this week helping my father get some work done on one of his home repairs that he's working on. The heat is absolutely unbearable, the bugs merciless, the hours unending, and the work unpleasant. It is easy to complain about the unpleasantness of the situation; in fact, it is difficult not to.
So I was very much convicted today when I opened my Bible to Philippians 2. It says in that chapter to "do everything without grumbling or arguing." What a tall order that is! Sometimes I think that we as human beings believe that complaining is part of our natural birthright and responsibility. We complain about anything and everything that we can think of, anything that is even remotely unpleasant.
So I thought to myself, "if grumbling is such a common human characteristic, how can God expect us to not do it??" But read further. It says that we will shine because of our lack of complaining - as we hold to the Word of life.
God doesn't expect us to be perfect. He expects us to hold to His Word. That is, in a nutshell, the "bare necessity" of life. And once we've got that down, we can expect God to make a habit out of doing the impossible in our lives. Like, for example, making content people out of natural complainers.
So I was very much convicted today when I opened my Bible to Philippians 2. It says in that chapter to "do everything without grumbling or arguing." What a tall order that is! Sometimes I think that we as human beings believe that complaining is part of our natural birthright and responsibility. We complain about anything and everything that we can think of, anything that is even remotely unpleasant.
So I thought to myself, "if grumbling is such a common human characteristic, how can God expect us to not do it??" But read further. It says that we will shine because of our lack of complaining - as we hold to the Word of life.
God doesn't expect us to be perfect. He expects us to hold to His Word. That is, in a nutshell, the "bare necessity" of life. And once we've got that down, we can expect God to make a habit out of doing the impossible in our lives. Like, for example, making content people out of natural complainers.
Philippians 2:14-18
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 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 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. 
No comments:
Post a Comment