Quit Complaining

The truth is that wherever you are and whatever situation you are in has a lesson to

teach you only if you'd stop complaining, pay close attention and learn. Recently, I have faced a ton of

challenges. I was furious and while I was in that emotional state, I began to question several things. I

questioned my purpose as well. I guess I was ignorant of it then. Gradually, I spiralled into depression. I

was so depressed that I wrote a poem to express how I felt and to channel my frustration to God

because I felt I couldn't hear him speak to me. On a normal day, on my way to school, I brought out my

phone and my daily scripture verses popped up. The verse was Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts

that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected

end". At this point, I was at the peak of frustration. A lot of things weren't working out well. After I read

that scripture a new understanding followed: if God knows the thoughts he has towards me then he

must possess a detailed escape plan out of this situation because he sees it all. That day, I stopped

complaining. Rather I started Thanksgiving even when the situation was incomprehensible. Some time

later, I posted the poem I had written when l was depressed; and a friend of mine who is also a mentor

read through and asked what prompted the poem. I opened up and told her about the frustration that

led to the poem. She laughed and told me “young man then you haven't even seen depression, wait till I

tell you my story”. I was eager to hear what story it was that could make someone tell me to calm down.

Guys! When she was done I was literally crying and asking God to please forgive me because indeed I

had not seen depression.

God has never made a mistake. No, not once. The book of Jeremiah says in Jer.1.5 -" Before I formed

thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I

ordained thee a prophet unto the nations". Have you ever imagined someone narrating to you exactly

how your life has played out starting from the day you were conceived and goes ahead to reveal

mysteries you never knew about yourself? Imagine how much trust you'd place in such a person when

he tells you "I'll be with you till the very end". When we realize that God already has a plan and we are

exactly where he wants us to be; and at the exact time he wanted us to be there, we would quit

complaining and rather live each moment the way he would have wanted us to. If you're anything like

me, you might be thinking of how much you have failed or how nonchalantly you've been living your life.

You, probably, might be frustrated with everything and everyone around you and you're only hanging

onto what the next minute brings. Trust me! God doesn't think like we, humans, do. The book of Isaiah

55vs9 reads-"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and

my thoughts than your thoughts. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my

ways, saith the LORD". Man! I think you should read that again. Can you now see that God doesn't think

like we do as humans? When you think your life has ended and all you can do is wait for what God does

next I tell you the truth that's where your life really begins.

When we complain about a problem or a situation we're experiencing, we shield our eyes from the

opportunities, the lessons and the blessings that could have been birthed there. James 1:2-4 reads:" My

brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your

faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire,

wanting nothing. When we are faced with situations and feel the urge to complain, remind yourself thatyour life is not a mistake and that you have chosen to learn whatever lesson there is to be learnt at that

point.

A quick reminder; God hates grumbling, when we grumble we seem to tell God that we are not

comfortable with what he is doing in us. So from today, choose not to complain but rather give thanks!