How to make the sin of complaining even WORSE (Ch 10)

 

 WARNING!    This one is gonna get ugly.

 

In chapter 10, “The Aggravations of the Sin of Murmuring” in The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Jeremiah Burroughs lists eleven ways that complaints can be amplified.

Accept my apologies, Mr. Burroughs (1599-1646), for modernizing your list below. And turning it on its head. 

1. Complain louder than you thank
Good health insurance and easy access to doctors’ facilities mean nothing if you have to wait an hour and a half in a waiting room and no one personally apologizes to you for it. Complain, at a minimum, to your family and friends. Nah, not enough. Go ahead and twitter it to the world.    

2. Moan about little things
You’ve been blessed with a nice home in a sweet neighborhood, a husband that earns a steady income, you have many friends. But your microwave oven only works 95% of the time. Unbelievable.

3. Even though you’re a man, still complain
[Huh?]
As a man, you’ve been given many “gifts and wisdom” and opportunities. But if something still doesn’t go your way, behave as “sometimes  children and women who are weak” do. [Just quoting Mr. Burroughs here, remember 1599-1646?…] 

       OR, to better fit MY world,
As a woman, you’re getting to stay home and take care of the family and school your children yourself. But what about your me time? Make an issue of it if you’re not getting your fair share of it.  

4. Cut no slack for freebies
Just because God has given you free grace, free forgiveness, and free eternal life doesn’t mean you can’t complain to him about not giving you a pain-free body. Let him know what you deserve for all you’ve done for him.

5. Complain if you don’t get it; complain if you do
Bad news: Your husband is working out of town; you miss him. Bad news: Your husband is working in town; now you have to cook a real supper and can’t stay up writing ‘til midnight.

6. Forget that you have more now than ever
So what if your first car had no air conditioning? None. Ever. Now complain if you have to be without A/C, in your car, for a few days while a part is being ordered.

7. Grumble about your sin’s consequences
Don’t think about how often God forgives you for your sin of [choose one, at any given moment], say, overeating. Instead, whimper about how your stomach hurts from too much popcorn, root beer, and double-stuff oreo cookies.

8. Whine that God isn’t using you in a big way
Even as you’re fretting over lost time spent driving a friend to an appointment, wonder in your head why God hasn’t given you more important work to do.

9. Don’t accept God’s will without a fight
You’re part of a great church family with God-fearing leaders and Jesus-loving brothers/sisters. Not enough. Murmur about how slow things are to change, how certain decision-makers just don’t get you or your awesome ideas, how things don’t always go the way YOU see best. Don’t rest in knowing that God will make change, if/when necessary, in HIS best timing.    

10. The more grace in troubles, the more complaints
So what if God has sustained you beautifully for two years of your husband’s traveling work schedule? Yes, you’ve stayed madly in love; you’re still close; you still love hanging out together every chance you get. But now that the travel is almost over, start worrying about how hard it might be to rearrange your schedule, again, to accommodate the change of having him in town full-time. 

11. Don’t learn from long-term afflictions
Don’t take the hint that God has a lesson for you to learn by giving you an extended opportunity for patience and serving. Instead, inwardly resent that for the past 15 years you’re often grading papers after supper instead of spending the evening in pleasure reading. Just because you’ve been a Christian a long time doesn’t mean you have to mature like one.

* * * * *

No innocent people were harmed in the writing of this post.
     There were no innocent people. 
          There were, however, tears of repentance.

* * * * *

And there is much rejoicing in God’s mercy! Believers in Jesus are not destined to wallow in condemnation, but to celebrate as the joyfully adopted FORGIVEN sons and daughters that we are. His grace is a gift I desperately need and gratefully accept.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9

So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
Hebrews 4:16 (The Message)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. 
Ephesians 2:8

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Titus 3:5-6 (NIV) 

We all live off his generous bounty,
      gift after gift after gift.
John 1:16 (The Message)

More from Chapter  10
“Aggravations of the Sin of Murmuring”
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment