PLEASE QUIT COMPLAINING!
PLEASE QUIT COMPLAINING
There is a hymn I have been singing a lot lately. I had learnt it in my native language, Yoruba, as a child. I had only always paid attention to the words of the first stanza. But having to sing all the stanzas everyday for the past month, my eyes opened to the depth of their lyrics. This hymn is “BEGONE UNBELIEF”; and I found a wealth of treasure in the fourth stanza.
Why should I complain of want or distress,
Temptation or pain? He told me no less;
The heirs of salvation, I know from His Word,
Through much tribulation Must follow their Lord.
Lyrics:John Newton (1725-1807) Music:Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
While researching this hymn, I found out a few things. Hymns were put into categories and sub categories. And this particular one was in the category of “Comfort in Trials” and the sub category of “By Trusting the Lord.” That is just very deep! This says to me that the best way to survive a trial is by trusting the Lord. That way I can be sure to not lose my head. Remember what the Lord Himself told us: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2 NLT Please note the use of the word “when” and not “if”; which is indicative of something going to happen at some point in time. While the conjunction “if” on the other hand implies that it might or might not be the case that something will happen. So when God says to us “when”, it is certain then, that it will happen; at some point in time.
As the saying goes, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed”. Therefore if it is the case that we will pass through water and or fire at some point in time, we need to prepare ourselves by being equipped with hymns such as this (and many others) which will help to be a comfort to us in the time of trial and tribulation. So rather than start a pity party, a grumbling or complaining session when trials come our way, let us pick up our Church hymnals, Hymns; Ancient and Modern, or whatever hymn book we are familiar with and go through the index to locate hymns in their different categories. Complaining does nobody any good whatsoever. “One day the Israelites started complaining about their troubles. The LORD heard them and became so angry that he destroyed the outer edges of their camp with fire.” Numbers 11:1 Contemporary English Version
In his article “7 REASONS WHY GOD HATES COMPLAINING SO MUCH”; Minister Aldtŕic Johnson gave the first reason as being “Complaining is the opposite of Thanksgiving.” Need I say more then?
Let us quit complaining and instead cultivate the habit of “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:19-20 NLT
OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©