Stop Pouting - Start Praising

As I was walking around Chambrel this week, I tripped on a patch of uneven concrete and fell face forward. scraping my nose & forehead. I’m not a pretty sight.

As I grow older and my health declines, there are days when I really wish there was a PITY CLUB that I could attend. Yet instinctively I know how foolish it is to balk at burdens and to fret because unpleasant experiences come our way. Who needs pain or frustrations?

From an yellowed clipping, I gleaned these words of helpful commentary by O. G. Wilson.

“Like all men, the believer is exposed to physical difficulties and disease. In those days he turns to complaining and self-pity, the ‘song of the Lord’ is hushed to silence. ‘I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed,’ says the psalmist.(Psalm 77:3). It is always so. If Satan is allowed to drive a little wedge of complaint into the soul, at once all its inner fortitude and strength ebbs away.”

O. G. Wilson continues: ‘I saw a man who was sick, hungry and unable to take a step and yet whose smile was as cheery as the chirp of the first robin of spring. Then I met a man radiantly happy , from whose eyes all sight had been lost due to an accident. I visited a rest home where a penniless man was singing joyously the triumphant songs of grace.’

The Lord knows I need to change my attitude. A spirit of discontent shows a lack of positive faith in Christ.

Here are some suggestions for overcoming a complaining attitude. This alternative gives God an opportunity to work creatively, both in us and in out circumstances.

Remember that your troubles did not take God by surprise. He is still in control.

Believe that God has a solution , a provision, or a gift of wisdom to match your difficulty.

Pray, affirming your faith in God and expressing your confidence in His loving purpose for you.

Wait with expectancy and availability, trusting God to work out His perfect will.
Praise Him -even before He acts
.
Finally, if you find yourself wearing ’a spirit of heaviness,’ try changing into ’the garments of praise!’ Stop pouting and start praising!

I thank you God for mercies shown (and)
For your great love that I have known.
I’m grateful for the life you’ve blessed (but)
Sometimes I forget, I must confess
To give my praise to you alone (who)
Died on the cross-our sins to atone.
We need to shed all pretense-all façade (and)
Remember redemption is a gift from God.

The Tie That Binds

The church that I attend is First Presbyterian Church, Garland. Every few years they hold an
eightieth birthday party for all those members that have reached 80 years or more. As I fellowshipped with those present, I reminisced about all the years we had worshipped together and played together. The many times we upheld one another in time of need.. It seems there is a special bond between Christians. Not just those members of FPC but Christians everywhere.

This brought other occasions to mind. One such occasion was when I made a trip to Greece following the ‘Footsteps of Paul.’ In Philippi at the Gaggitas River where Lydia was baptized, (Acts 16: 12-18), we had prayer with another tour group and joined hands and sang, ‘Bless be the Tie That Binds.’ There wasn’t a dry eye in the group.

Another time I was in Hamburg, Germany visiting a cousin who regularly worships in a Lutheran Church.
While sightseeing downtown Hamburg on a Sunday, the time came for worship, so we attended an ecumenical worship service especially for travelers’. It was one of the most inspiring worship services I ever attended.. There were people from at least 25 different countries. All praising one God, Lord and Savior of us all.

Still another occasion was when I was on a tour celebrating Martin Luther’s 500th Anniversary. We visited the cities where he lived, studied and preached. This was a time before the Berlin Wall came down., and Germany was divided. We were traveling mostly in the GDR, German Democratic Republic, which was a socialist state. One of the first cities we visited was Eisenach, where Luther lived from 1498-1501. We were grateful to be able to worship and partake of the Lord’s Supper at St. Thomas Church in Eisenach, the city Luther always referred to as his ‘Beloved City.‘ Of course, we couldn’t understand the words that were being spoken, but we felt the Spirit making us one as we worshipped together.

If life gives us Christian friends,
Who are faithful to the end,
Then life has given more than gold.
The greatest joy a heart can hold.
If Christian friends are ours to share,
To understand, believe and care,
Our Lord God surely knew,
Life would be complete and true.