"Poor Pitiful Me"

“Poor Pitiful Me”

"I am disgusted with my life. Let me complain freely. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul” (Job 10:1 – New Living Translation).

Don’t you hate to hear a professional athlete moan about their contracts? I do! A recent debate that comes to mind involves a baseball player that was holding out for more money. He was already making SIX MILLION dollars a year. His complaint was based on the notion that he was not “getting respected.” I wondered why he was in the game and what happened to the love of playing. The baseball player needs to focus on the team, not himself. It’s no wonder to me that baseball is dying and soccer is becoming the favorite sport of youth. Who wants to play a game that filled with whiners?

Have you ever spent any time around a moping Christian? They complain about everything, and nothing seems to satisfy them. If you are around them, it can drain all your energy. Have you ever been like that?

The apostle Paul said, “Do all things without complaining and disputing…” (Philippians 2:14 - NKJV). The word disputing means arguing with others. The word complaining means secret murmurings. Perhaps the best way to describe complaining would be having a bad attitude and moping around because of it. It stems from selfish inner desires. Much like the baseball player, there was no real grounds for complaint, just selfishness.

In the opening Scripture, that is where we find Job. He is sick and tired of being sick and tired, but he knows better than to complain to God, who is righteous, just, and holy. God is beyond reproach. Job is disgusted and full of complaint, so he speaks violently, but he doesn’t do it to God. There’s something wrong inside.

Christians are supposed to have an intimate knowledge of this awesome God. If one claims to have that intimate relationship, yet their life is marked by complaint, how does that speak of God? If one knows God, how does that speak of the Christian? One may figure that the Christian is not counting their blessings. If one does not know God, how does this speak of the Heavenly Father? One may think this God not worth knowing.

The key, then, is focusing on God and His righteousness. Counting His goodness to us makes easy our way and lightens our burden. God is good…all the time; all the time…God is good! God is much bigger and far more awesome than we give Him credit for. We are owned by a mighty, loving and sustaining God. If in Christ, our futures are secure and there is much rejoicing to do. Job finally realizes that (Job 38-42). He counts the goodness of God, and his moaning disappears.

Have you counted God’s goodness lately Christian? Are you wasting away, spending your witness and breath on complaining? If so, poor, pitiful you. Count His goodness today, watch your complaining melt away!

Oh, yeah…even when he complained to himself or his friends…do you think God didn’t hear? He was still shaking his fist at God, as if to say, “You are not sufficient!”