Isaiah 59:1

I am a chronic complainer.   Rarely does a day go by that I don't find something to complain about.  I also don't really care if my complaining is offensive to those around me.  Most times my griping is legitimate, I mean, in my own mind it is anyway.  I've also realized lately that my complaining flows with my hormones, lack of sleep, and busy schedule.   Is complaining a sin?  Usually when I write, I try to avoid over using the same word.  If that is something that bothers you as a reader, you might want to skip this one.  I've been contemplating this verse all week.  Putting it in context and trying to figure out the application for myself.  Then this morning WHAM...complaining.  I'm a complainer just like the people of Israel.  Probably even as bad as the people griping their way through the desert in Exodus.  I read through that book and think.....WOW,  People!  God was right there raining down food from heaven for you and you still complained about it!   I would never have complained like they did.  Or would I?  Do I complain about the people, places, and situations God has brought me to now?  Ahem....that's a RHETORICAL question.

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save nor His ear too dull to hear.  Isaiah 59:1

So anyway, I was reading over chapter 59 this morning trying to get my head around what was going on here.   The people (Israel) were complaining that the Lord wasn't able to rescue them.  The true problem though was that they hadn't repented or turned away from their sin.  God wasn't delaying their rescue because He wasn't strong enough to save them.  He wasn't waiting because they were not shouting loud enough for Him to hear them.  He was offended by a very long list of sins that the people were steeping themselves in.  Read the chapter.  This list goes on and on.   Sin had cut the people off from God and that was why He would not listen to them.  Can God rescue us from the problems we face?   Can He break the power of our sin and help us deal with its consequences?   

So how often do we go through our day complaining about the things we have going on?  I know I fall into this trap most days.  Monday, to be exact.  I had fallen into an attitude grumbling about my schedule, feeling overwhelmed, feeling like I couldn't keep on top of things, feeling like my mind wasn't working.  What I wasn't realizing was that my attitude was offensive to God.  I was trying to work out some things for next year's retreat.  I was reading and sorting through some scripture and I couldn't make sense of any of it.  I went to our meeting that night and tried to share some ideas and it just wouldn't come out right.  I was so frustrated.  So since I'm a slow learner, I had to process through this thing the whole rest of the week.  Now it's Friday and I finally get it.  I started complaining (in my head at least) last Wednesday.  That snowballed into me having a yucky heart in church on Sunday and not being able to worship.  I wonder if God was like....Hey Penny, just stop singing, you're offending me.  It carried over into Monday and spilled out at that meeting on Monday night.  Turns out, God has been asking me to do one simple thing and I was dragging my feet on it.  That my friends, is disobedience.  Delayed obedience is disobedience.  Disobedience is sin.  My disobedience led me to complaining which led me to feeling like I wasn't close to God which led me to feel like I wasn't hearing Him and he wasn't hearing me.  YUCK!  I don't like feeling like that.  

I am happy to report that I have since obeyed and gotten some stuff straightened out.  My heart is joyful again and I can hear God again and I am confident that He hears me.  This morning I am really thankful that this was short lived.  I see a lot of my sisters struggle along in sin and disobedience for years.  Sadly, our enemy feeds on this.  He'll whisper in your ear and help you build your case as to why you are right and why you don't need to do this that or the other thing.  Do yourself a favor, obey now and ask questions later.  You'll be much better off.  I wish I had.