Not Complaining or Surrendering

After my morning devotional today I was playing solitaire until I was able to have my morning tea and wake up enough to continue my day. As I lost game after game after game, I began to complain to myself about how the cards were being dealt (Yes, I talk to my computer and you do too. You're just too ashamed to admit it!). After a few more losses, I decided I would quit complaining and just play.

As soon as that thought popped into my head, I realized something. There is a world of difference between not complaining and surrendering! In the video, Larry has decided not to complain about the hairbrush, but he never really let's go of the fact that he wants his hairbrush back. He just decides not to complain anymore. It is gone and there is nothing he can do about it.

Job felt he had a right to complain when he says, "Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul." (7:11) I must admit, if anyone has a right to complain, it was Job.

But God does not want us to complain. James tells us, "Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves be judged; behold the Judge is standing right at the door." (5:9) So I decided this morning not to complain. But that's not what God wants.

My husband likes to talk to the other drivers when he is behind the wheel. I have asked him time and again not to go off on tirades about other drivers because I am the one who has to listen to all that and I didn't do anything. Well, he stops complaining...out loud.

That is what Ido with God. Instead of surrendering I decide to "not complain" anymore about my trials and tribulations. I "man up" and in doing so, decide to be a martyr. How many times have we gone to church with our world crumbling around us and someone asks us, "How are you?" and we answer, "I'm just fine (sigh). How are you?" never allowing that brother or sister to help carry our burden?

Now if I would surrender my burden, I would "let go and let God" to use an old cliche. Whether I like what God is allowing in my life or not, I TRUST God (there's that word again, trust. Can you tell I have trust issues?) to bring me through so I just sit back for the ride while trying to learn what it is God has to teach me.

Sit back for the ride? Yes, because we all know we aren't driving. God is totally in control. And even if we were driving, we have NO control over where we are going.

Jesus taught us all we needed to know about surrender in the garden. In Matthew 26:39 we hear, "Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.'" Then He continues (after waking up the napping disciples), "He went away a second time and prayed, 'My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.'"

Jesus KNEW surrender. He didn't like what was going to happen. He knew he was about to be subject to excruciating pain, crucifixion, and bearing the sin of the whole world which would cause His Father to have to turn away from Him. For the first time in His life, Jesus would experience loneliness. But He repeats, "may Your will be done."

I do a lot of complaining and a lot of "deciding not to complain." My "favorite professor" told us that if God takes the time to say something more than once, He wants you to pay attention. Jesus' prayer of surrender is in all FOUR gospels. That's plenty for me. As of today I think I'll start listening.

Until today, I have been like the bumper sticker, "God is my co-pilot." I think starting today, I'm going to make an effort to make God my pilot and I will just go along for the ride. I won't do it perfectly, but I have to learn to surrender sometime. Better now than later because I am not promised tomorrow and I want to please my Heavenly Father.