As Pharaoh and his army approached, the people of Israel could see them in the distance, marching toward them. The people began to panic, and they cried out to the LORD for help. Then they turned against Moses and complained, "Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren't there enough graves for us in Egypt? Why did you make us leave? Didn't we tell you to leave us alone while we were still in Egypt? Our Egyptian slavery was far better than dying out here in the wilderness!"
(Exodus 14: 10-12, NLT)
I have a friend that listens to complaints all day long. He manages a large customer service department. Evidently, there are few that are willing to take time to say thanks. Most people visit customer service with a detailed list of problems. We have talked about the challenge of listening to complaints all day long.
Can you imagine . . . all day long . . . listening to complaining people?Yikes . . . I would be complaining to God, and anyone that would listen to me, about people that complain. Seriously . . . I would complain about the complainers.
One of the best stories about complainers can be found in the book of Exodus. The people of God had been oppressed, living in slavery for 430 years . . . until . . . miracle of miracles . . . the people were let go. LET GO! And, then, of course . . . the slave owners began to think about what their life would be like without their slaves . . . an economic disaster. So, they chased after them . . . of course.
The people of God saw their oppressors coming at them . . . and saw the Red Sea before them. They had been comfortable in their oppression and feared change. The people complained . . . they were done . . . they saw problems rather than possibilities.
How do we see beyond problems to see possibilities?The complaints of the people of God were rooted within their anxiety. Your perspective changes with gratefulness. You see more than problems . . . you see possibilities through thanksgiving.
Remember what the Apostle Paul said: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6, NIV).
Refuse to complain . . . complaining is draining.
Pray and make your requests known to God with thanksgiving.
Give thanks to God.
Give thanks.... giving thanks is energizing.
Learning with you to be grateful,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)
