MORNING MANNA---DONT MAKE IT WORSE Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.--Job 23:2 Spurgeon said, Most men cry before they are hurt, or more than they are hurt; but such was not Jobs case: he had good reason for every groan, and when he groaned most he fell short of expressing what he felt within. You could say that Jobs grief was greater than he could or would express to others. Its true that Job expressed his grief, but we should not take this as anger toward God. Although Job complained to God, he did not complain about God. J. R. Miller said it well: Job does not mean that he was rebellious—but that even with his submission to the divine will, he could hardly keep his pain from breaking out in cries. If we are Gods children, we should bear even the greatest sufferings without complaining. It may not always be possible to repress the outcries of anguish; but even if our affliction is too full of pain to be altogether repressed, we should not have in our heart, any rebellious feeling toward God. An English writer tells of two birds, and how they acted when put into a cage. One bird flew violently against the wires of its prison, in unavailing efforts to escape, only bruising its own wings in the struggle. The other bird perched itself on the bar, and began to pour forth from its little throat, bursts of sweet song. We know well which bird was the wiser, which had learned the best way to meet hard conditions. Some people are like the foolish bird—when they are in trouble they chafe, cry out, and complain. The result is, they only hurt themselves, make themselves more miserable, and do not in any sense lessen their trouble. It is wiser always, as well as more pleasing to God—for us to bear our trials patiently, singing songs of faith—rather than complaining in rebellion and discontent. Thus we take the bitterness out of trial, making it sweet. When speaking of our trials it is better to minimize them than to exaggerate. In other words, dont make matters worse, even if they are worse, by trying to fully explain them. Others wont understand anyway, and God already knows.--HDS
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 13:41:08 +0000