Don't I Have A Right To Complain?

"Don't I have a right to complain?"

I ask myself this a lot. My circumstances are crappy sometimes, isn't it fair to acknowledge that (out loud)? Job did.

When taking a look at my life and all the things I don't like and that don't seem to get better, I remembered Job. He went from 100 to 0 at no fault of his own, so I wanted to see how he reacted.

After listing out his grievances and going back and forth with his friends Job said something very relatable. He cried out, “Don’t I have a right to complain?” (Job 6:5, NLT). How often do I say that about my circumstances? Anyone would agree they are less than desirable, so doesn’t that give me the right to complain? My first reaction was a sense of relief. Job is described by God as “blameless” and “the finest man in all the earth” (Job 1:8, NLT). If a man God deemed so highly was complaining, surely it was okay if I did too? At this moment I was thankful that not only does God listen to the cries of our hearts, but He cares. 1 Peter 5:7 is a verse I remind myself of over and over again, “Cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.” What a sweet truth to rest in!

As I kept reading I was struck by another of Job’s revolutionary statements: “Is not all human life a struggle?” (Job 7:1, NLT). He’s right! We were never promised an easygoing life, incredible job offers, a flowing stream of extra cash or anything else that would make life blissfully easy. The world is plagued by sin, and sometimes that just makes life hard. It can make it hard to get out of bed in the morning and it can make it hard to keep going, but thankfully we have a promise that this is not the final destination for us.

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Despite the hopeful promise of eternity with our creator, it still seems increasingly hard to fight through the mundane ruts of life. How do I make myself wake up every day and go to a job I don’t care about and that doesn’t care about me? How do I keep pushing through school when the money isn’t there? How do I keep going in this current schedule when I barely see my husband or friends?

I guess the answer is you just do. I’ve tried really hard to change my mindset, but I’m learning that is not a one-time occurrence. I must constantly remind myself that the very breath in my lungs is a gift and the very purpose of it is to share the gospel and to reflect the image of God, everything else is a blessing I get to enjoy from God’s grace.

So yeah most days are hard, something I didn’t fully expect as I got further into adulthood. You won’t always like your job or your finances or your season, but there is purpose in all of it.

Instead of dreading the day knowing I won’t be home until late and have little time with my husband, I’ll praise the Lord for a good man and a safe house to come home to. I’ll look forward to what He has set before me and be grateful for what He has already gifted me. This is so hard to do. As someone who likes control and order, I am in for a continually big disappointment if I hold to that. We rarely have control over our circumstances but can control our approach and response to them.

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Lord help me to remember that yes, life is so so hard sometimes, but there is beauty to be found in the struggle. Thank you for the current blessings and answered prayers I am living, help me never to forget the many sleepless nights I prayed for what I have now. Help me not to get caught up in what I’m lacking and instead praise you for the abundance that is in my life. It’s okay to be honest with You when I’m upset, in fact, I think it is a good thing. I want to be honest with You, but help keep me in perspective. Life is hard but every day You walk with us. Let that be enough.