Looking at Our Complaints from God’s Perspective

Do you ever want to complain?  Why?  Because things are difficult?  Things are difficult for many people, but everyone doesn’t complain.   Sometimes I think we complain because we want someone to at least hear and understand.  We especially want to know that God hears us and understands.  That was the case for Israel in Isaiah 40:

27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
       and complain, O Israel,
       “My way is hidden from the LORD;
       my cause is disregarded by my God”?  (NIV)

Isaiah calls on Israel to look at the nature of God for an answer.  Read what Isaiah 40 says about the nature of God:

28 Do you not know?
       Have you not heard?
       The LORD is the everlasting God,
       the Creator of the ends of the earth.
       He will not grow tired or weary,
       and his understanding no one can fathom. (NIV)

“Don’t you Know?”  ” Haven’t you heard?”  Isaiah is not telling Israel something they do not know but  is reminding them of what they should already know about the nature of God.  First, He is the everlasting God.  This tells us that He is consistent throughout history because He is outside time.  Second, He is the Creator of the ends of the earth.  “Ends of the earth” means that God created the least, most unknown things.  He therefore knows about the big issues of the world and about me, no matter how insignificant I might feel.  Third, He will not grow tired or weary.  God faces all things with strength and energy.  He thus has the power to deal with my situation however big or small it might be.  Finally, His understanding no one can fathom is a way of affirming the depth of God’s wisdom and knowledge.  He thus knows what is best for each of us.

When our complaints cry out to be heard, we have a God who can hear and answer.  Isaiah invites us by showing us God’s nature to look on our complaints from God’s perspective.  They may then be seen as small but never insignificant.  The God who created the ends of the earth is able to deal with us no matter how small our need.

We have a God who cares and listens to us.  We can cry out to Him and feel His answer.