Who says you can’t complain to God? I know there are a lot of people preaching out there who tell us we have to stop complaining if we want God’s blessings. But if you have something to complain about and are unhappy, who are you going to complain to that can best help you but God? Who can make things better for us but Him? They say if you want blessings from God you better not complain, you better be thankful. But here’s the thing, if you’re unhappy and miserable, who is going to help you to turn around so that you can become happy and thankful? God. No one else is going to be able to help us but God. So I say, if you’ve got something to complain about, complain to God. Here’s why. King David made his complaints known to God. Moses complained to God. Prophet Elijah complained to God. Tons of great men in the Bible complained to God. Abraham complained about not having a son, Prophet Jeremiah about the people that were coming against him, Job as we all know. Even the disciples complained to God. Tons of people complained and God helped them. There’s no other way around it, if you’re unhappy and you have something to complain about, complain to God because out of anyone out there that can help us, He can.
Here’s what the Psalmist said about it:
I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. {Psalm 142:2}
Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise… {Psalm 55:2}
Here’s King David complaining to God about his enemies who were after him. He said to the Lord,
Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord. They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold. {Psalm 59:1-4}
If you were to read the whole chapter David details to God what they were doing wrong to him. He even tells the Lord what he wants God to do for him regarding them. I mean, talk about a man that is complaining big time to God about what is making him unhappy. Here he is telling the Lord basically, “Lord, come and rescue me from my enemies, deliver me from these wicked men that have come up against me – these bloody men! They’re hiding in ambush against me, they’re strong Lord and they’ve come against me! I did nothing wrong. I did them no wrong and yet they’re coming against me. Please Lord help me!” Throughout the book of Psalm we see a lot of prayers of people letting God know what they’re unhappy about. King David did a lot of complaining to the Lord and the Lord heard Him.
Here’s Moses complaining to the Lord about the children of Israel in the wilderness. I mean, he was really upset because the people were crying and feeling sorry for themselves. They were accusing him of trying to be a leader and promising to bring them to the Promised Land, and yet still it’s nowhere to be found. They wanted meat. They were sick of the manna God had given to them, and Moses can’t give it to them. So then Moses tells the Lord,
“Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.” {Numbers 11:11-12}
So you see, it’s okay to complain to the Lord. Don’t let people discourage you about your complaints in this life, that we cannot take them to the Lord. We absolutely can take our complaints and anything we’re unhappy about to the Lord. God wants us to complain to Him, otherwise why would He come and tell us to bring our burdens to Him? If He expects us to be happy all the time and sing praises and thanksgiving to Him all the time then we don’t need Him, do we? What is He here then for? If we can all make ourselves happy then why should we need Him? We sure do need Him. And the truth is, He wants us to need Him. The Lord is so crazy in love with us He wants us to come to Him for everything we have need of and desire in this life so that He can make us happy. Don’t you know that our happiness is His happiness? When He sees us unhappy and miserable and complaining in this life, He wants us to come to Him for all of it so that he can help us and make us happy again. It kills Him to see us unhappy. The last thing He wants is for us to be unhappy and miserable. He died for our sins after all so that we can be set free from the power of Satan and the principalities of this world that are making us unhappy. He died for us, simply put, to make us happy. All we need to do is talk to Him about it.
I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. {Psalm 116:1-5}
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. {1 Peter 5:7}
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. {Matthew 11:28-30}
Prayer
Savior, I thank You Father that You are always there for us to hear our prayers and our complaints. I thank You that we can come to You with anything we’re going through because nothing is too hard with You. You care so much for us Lord and desire to see us happy. You gave us Your precious body at the cross so that we can be filled of Your joy and goodness in this life today. You overcame the principalities of this world to give us not only life everlasting with You to come, but an abundant life here and now. You promised to prepare a place for us where there will be no more tears, pain and sorrow. Thank You for Your desire to see us happy forever. I pray Lord Jesus that You would please give us plenty of faith in Your great love for us, so that we will be bold in coming to You with all of our requests and with all of the things that bother us and make us unhappy in this life. I ask all these things Father, in Your most wonderful and precious name, Jesus. Thank You, Father. Amen.
