“But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before Him.” (Job 5:8 NIV)
Now we have to take the words of Job’s friends with a grain of salt. These well-meaning cohorts suffered from slightly-flawed theology. That being said, this particular bit of advice is solid gold. Essentially, Eliphaz tells Job: if I were you, I’d take my troubles upward.
I’ve been thinking about complaint lately. How it’s sinful when we whine and wallow with others, especially when we speak against God. But somehow, when we take those same thoughts and direct them toward heaven, it’s no longer complaint but lament. We can pour our heart out to our holy God. In fact, He encourages us to.
“Trust Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:8 NIV)
We either grumble to God or about God. The latter will get us in a whole heap of trouble. When we whine to others about God, we endanger ourselves. Unfortunately, it’s our nature to run our mouths to others when we are miserable. But God asks us, instead, to run to Him. When we take our perceived injustices straight to the throne room, we get help. Wow. Why do we go anywhere else?
“I cry out to the Lord: I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out to Him my complaints: before Him I tell my trouble.” (Psalm 142:1-2 NIV)
I’m so glad for a God who listens. It’s a little astounding to think that the Creator-Sustainer of the universe has time and interest to hear from the likes of me. God doesn’t just have a dusty complaint box on an out-of-the-way wall, He Himself sits with us and listens. Then He comforts, corrects and directs our hearts back in the way which we should go.
Over the years I’ve heard a lot of preaching against complaint and for the most part, I agree. When we whine to others, we commiserate. But when we take our gripes to God, we are going somewhere with purpose. He’s going to change us or He’s going to change our situation.
I’m so glad for a God who takes our complaints and remakes us into saints.
Lord, so often we are stuck between what is and what isn’t quite yet. In our flesh, we struggle to see things from Your perspective. Thank You for hearing our hearts. Thank You for sifting through our sorrow and helping us find our way with You again. Please help us remember to take our troubles upward, not outward. May we look to You instead of others. Amen.