“Whining is the opposite of worship, and complaining is the rival of grace.”- Kyle Idleman
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
In Chapter 8 (“More Peaceful Than Your Disappointments”) of Grace Is Greater, Kyle Idleman asserts that 1 Thessalonians 5:18 reflects more than a helpful suggestion or a hint for healthy living. It’s a command. Thus, lack of gratitude isn’t a wink-wink sin. God considers it a big deal.
Therefore, Kyle stresses that God takes grumbling and complaining very seriously. Why? Because He takes it personally (emphasis Kyle’s). In addition, God takes complaining personally because it:
- overlooks the greatness of the grace we’ve received from God
- undermines the Good News of the Gospel
- ignores the generosity and faithfulness of God
As Pastor Idleman summarizes, complaining boils down to a refusal to trust God and acknowledge His grace in your life. The author adds:
“Complaining has a way of pulling the shade down on the window of grace. It keeps the light of God’s grace from shining in.”
Furthermore, Kyle states, research shows that the more we complain, the more we find things to complain about. Also, when we complain our focus centers on what we wish was different, not on thankfulness for God’s blessings. Unlike complaint, gratitude doesn’t depend on circumstances. Gratitude recognizes that God’s grace gives us reason enough to be thankful in all circumstances.
In conclusion, Pastor Idleman notes that ultimately, we possess few reasons to complain about our situation. We worship a God of resurrection. Therefore, Kyle urges you to reverse engineer grace in your life. In other words, find reasons to be grateful for God’s grace in situations you wish were different or in things you’ve complained about along the way.
Today’s question: How has complaint served as the rival of grace in your life? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “We need to first be limited”
