GIVING THANKS VS GRUMBLING
Numbers 11:1-2 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16
Grumbling never did anybody any good. Grumbling was the biggest problem God had with His chosen people; they journeyed through life constantly complaining – Numbers 11:1-2 . . .
Moses had been instructed by God to divide His people into camps; and you can imagine the bickering that went on among them as to who would be in their camp and where their camp would be located. “I want to be in his group” or “I’d rather be over there on the other side of the creek.”
In the Book of Numbers - the book devoted by Moses to telling how the children of Israel were divided into camps and numbered (the census) - we are told that grumbling angered God; so He allowed fires to destroy the “outer edges” of the camps; the fires got people’s minds off what somebody else had that they did not have; they stopped grumbling and pled with Moses to pray for them; Moses prayed; the result was a positive response from God that warmed their hearts and renewed their hope.
Giving thanks to God for what He has blessed us with is far better than grumbling about that which He has blessed someone else with. Giving thanks always wins the battle versus grumbling.
There are those who seem to have nothing better to do than to grumble; some folks gripe about this and they gripe about that; but my hope is that one day, the grumblers will have the same kind of experience that Little Red Riding Hood had.
One of the bowls of porridge was too hot; another was too cold; but when she tried the porridge in a little bowl, it was just right.
One of the beds was too hard; another was too soft; but when she tried the bed that was not as big as the others, it was just right.
At one of the senior adult independent and assisted living homes, which I visit quite often, all of the residents eat together in the same dining room. Like it was with Little Red Riding Hood, sometimes the food is too hot; sometimes the food is too cold; but if the food has ever been just right, I have not heard anybody say so. All I hear is the complaining.
A formula for failure in the life of a chef in a senior adult living center is to try to please everybody. It cannot be done!
Did you hear about the husband who complained about everything his wife did for him? He was always grumbling about something. One morning she asked him how he would like his eggs cooked; he said, “I want one fried and one scrambled” - so she did just as he had requested; she fried one egg and scrambled the other.
When she put the plate down in front of him, he just sat there staring at the eggs with a frown on his face. His wife said, “Now what’s the matter? You said to fry one egg and to scramble the other; I did it exactly as you requested; but there you sit just staring at the eggs with a frown on your face; so, what’s the matter now?” And he said, “You fried the wrong one.”
There are some folks you cannot please no matter how hard you try; but try we must; then be prepared for one of two responses – either a heartfelt “thank you” accompanied by a smile – which of course all of us would hope for – or, a negative complaint punctuated by a frown.
The “thank you” with a smile will win every time over grumbling with a frown.
Perhaps we all need to be nudged just a little bit into being reminded that there is so much for which we ought to give thanks to God.
Have you ever observed a parent, or have you yourself been a parent whose child someone did something nice for, and you nudged your child and said, “What do you say to the nice lady?” Then you heard the child’s timid response, “Thank you.”
Do you suppose there are those among us who need to be nudged by the question, “What do you say to God who has been so good to you?”
Each year most of us get together as family units to express thanks in a special way on Thanksgiving Day. I suggest to you that thanksgiving, as far as children of God the Father are concerned, ought to be a way of life.
Giving thanks on Thanksgiving Day is good, but not good enough; once a day is barely enough. We take our medications more often than that.
Listen to Paul’s prescription as stated in I Thessalonians 5:16 . . .
“Give thanks in all circumstances?” But it seems like we have so many problems that crop up out of nowhere throughout the day every day, so we may be prone to ask, “How can we give thanks when our days are filled with obstacles?” Yet, the scripture encourages us to see beyond that which is troubling to that which can strengthen our faith.
Whether a troubling experience is looked upon by you and me as a “blessing” or a “curse” depends on how you and I deal with it.
You might have heard me say before that we can respond to adversity in one of two ways: We can allow God to work through the experience to make us better or we can give in to the temptation to let it make us bitter.
Sad to say, my experience has convinced me that way too many folks allow their unfortunate circumstances to make them bitter rather than better.
God is in the business of turning negatives into positives! He helps us to make lemonade out of lemons. How on earth can we do this?
For a start, pay close attention to what the apostle did not say versus what he did say. He did not say, “Be thankful for everything”. He did say, “Be thankful in everything”. Now, I don’t know about you, but it makes a big difference to me as to how he phrased his admonition, “be thankful.”
It is difficult if not impossible to give thanks for everything. Only when we learn to rely upon God to control the life we have committed unto Him can we go through every experience and always be thankful; but I am thankful to know that I do not go through bad experiences alone!
Paul could say “I have learned in whatsoever state I find myself therein to be content”; he could say that only because His faith in God was such that there was no doubt in his mind that those words he wrote to the church at Rome were true: “In and through all circumstances of my life, God is at work to bring about that which is best for those who love Him – those who are called according to His purpose.”
God’s purpose for all of us sinners is that we be saved from our sins. For that reason, you and I have been called out of the darkness of sin into the light of God’s salvation. That is what Paul meant by the phrase, “those who are called according to His purpose.”
Those who have responded to God’s call in the affirmative – those who have said “no” to sin and “yes” to the Savior – can rest assured that God is working in and through the circumstances in your life to bring about that which is best for you.
Only by God’s marvelous grace have we received this glorious call out of sin into salvation; for you see, “Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.”
Because God has called us according to His purpose, and we have responded in accordance with His will, we must understand that, therefore, “We are not our own; we have been bought with a price.”
Having been bought with a price (the precious blood of Jesus), having repented of our sins, having received God’s gift of salvation by accepting His Son as our Savior, having been blessed with the high privilege of being called sons of God, you and I have fellowship with God the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ. What an honor! Glory Be to God!
So, you see it should not be surprising to us that we are admonished to be thankful in everything in spite of some things we are not thankful for.
You will never hear me say, “Thank you, Lord, for this disease that has attacked my body and will most likely cause my physical death.”
You will hear me say, “Thank you, Lord, for your power of spiritual healing that will not allow this or any other disease to destroy my soul.”
“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God.” Amen.
