Bring Discontent to God

I read an interesting blog post this week that challenged my perception of complaining.

The author, Emily Saxe, delved into the difference between complaining and lamenting. She presented a case, drawing from the example of David who faithfully lamented before God in the Psalms. She contrasted how complaining (woe is me, life isn’t fair) is spiritually detrimental while lamenting (only God can help and I will seek Him) is righteous.

(Read Emily Saxe’s post, Ordinary ways to Pursue and Honor God: Complaining, here.

Crying out to God

David, the apple of God’s eye, lamented when life got rocky. His words are dramatic and full of emotion. You can hear the hurt, confusion, and betrayal. You can also hear his hope and faith in God’s goodness.

I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord;

I make supplication with my voice to the Lord.

I pour out my complaint before Him;

I declare my trouble before Him.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,

You knew my path.

In the way where I walk

They have hidden a trap for me.

Look to the right and see;

For there is no one who regards me;

There is no escape for me;

No one cares for my soul.

I cried out to You, O Lord;

I said, “You are my refuge,

My portion in the land of the living.

“Give heed to my cry,

For I am brought very low;

Deliver me from my persecutors,

For they are too strong for me. 

“Bring my soul out of prison,

So that I may give thanks to Your name;

The righteous will surround me,

For You will deal bountifully with me.”

Hope & Despair

Wondering about the correlation between deferred hope and bringing complaints to God, I came across the story of Hannah in the Old Testament.

Hannah’s story opens the Books of Samuel. She was the wife of Elkanah (Elkanah was also married to Peninnah). Peninnah had sons and daughters while Hannah—the favored wife—was barren. Because of this, Hannah’s sister wife ridiculed her.

Hannah was heartbroken over her lack of a son. Every year, when the family went to make sacrifices, she wept over her reality as her sister wife taunted her barrenness. Hannah’s husband tried to appease her discontent by reminding her of what she already had—his love. A familiar strategy, I think. Count your blessings. But in this circumstance, it wasn’t enough.

When Hannah couldn’t take the weight of her despair any longer, she sought the Lord at the temple, where even the priest misunderstood her situation and heaped more shame on her shoulders by accusing her of being a drunk.

At the Bottom but Looking Up

Hannah was brought low by despair, taunted by her enemy, told to be happy with the status quo by her husband, and misunderstood by the priest, but she pressed on and received from God what she had hoped and prayed for.

God didn’t punish Hannah’s discontent. He fulfilled her desire. And she in turn gave her answered prayer back to God.

Proverbs 13:12 was penned under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

Unfilled desires, hurt, and heartbreak are a reality of life. When we encounter them, may we be like David and Hannah as we bring them before God, trusting him to save, fulfill, and deliver.

Unfilled desires, hurt, and heartbreak are a reality of life. When we encounter them, may we be like David and Hannah as we bring them before God, trusting him to save, fulfill, and deliver. Click To Tweet

How has God fulfilled or spoken to long-held hope in your life?

Recently when I was struggling with a particularly painful issue, I was sitting on my couch praying silently. In my head, all I could say was, “I don’t know what to do.”

Immediately, my phone started playing the hymn Take my Hand, Precious Lord. The lyrics spoke straight to my heart. When I wiped the tears away and opened my phone to find where the song was playing from, no music app was even running.

God renewed my hope that day. 

16 thoughts on “Bring Discontent to God”

  1. I love how God showed up with the music to reassure you in your,ament. Such a beautiful example of how God stands by us in the good times and the bad, ready to show us His love. It is awesome how God cares for us, His created beings. With all that happens in the world, He is aware of each one of our needs and He orchestras everything and reaches down to touch us.

  2. This is such an important post, Stephanie! I think too often we are told to take our heartbreak and discontent and stuff it way down deep inside. That we are supposed to be content and happy no matter what. But that’s simply not realistic. Thanks for this biblical example of what to do with longing.

    1. Sometimes I think I’ve tried to hide those things or bring them under control before going to God, afraid he’ll be upset that I’m not content or joyful. Emily’s post–and then working through Hannah’s story–really helped open this subject up for me. Thanks for reading, Melissa.

  3. Agreed, Stephanie. There seems to be a big difference between complaining and lamenting. I like the example of David and Hannah and how you said, “at the bottom but looking up.” What imagery it conjures up in my mind.

    Wonderful insight from both Emily and you. When I think of goodness, mercy, love, grace, and hope, I’m reminded that we cannot separate them from God’s character. They are not just what God does, but who He is. So, when we lament we are seeking a God who IS.

    1. I like that, Karen. A God who IS. Who IS rescuing us. Who IS answering our prayers. Who IS working all things to the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Yes!

  4. Dear Stephanie!

    Thanks for sharing here. I did also read Emily’s blog post. It’s interesting to see which reactions it ignited in you.

    Yes, may we learn to bring all our worries to the Lord instead of getting blinded by them, trying to fight them with our own will-power.

    A couple of years ago I was in a similar situation as you talked about when you sat on the couch saying: “I don’t know what to do.”

    My situation was that I felt very deeply that the Lord wanted me to do something (which I knew what was) but I had no idea how I was able to do it because I knew nothing about it.

    But I gave it to God, and he showed me what I needed to know.

    He’s always there for us, when we let Him!

    With love!
    Edna Davidsen

    1. As I was reading your response, it hit me. Maybe he is waiting for the point where we hit “I don’t know what to do” because that’s when we are at the end of our self-reliance and into relying on him. He is so faithful. Thanks for reading, Edna.

  5. Ugh, dealing with disappointment is so hard. In fact, I’m disappointed that I don’t deal with it better. I really appreciate your challenge here, Stephanie. Lamenting is definitely where we need to be. Living in constant complaining is like transplanting a growing flower into sand.
    But I find hope in others who have gone through stuff and kept their joy. I cling to them and learn from their wisdom. What else is a person to do than to seek the Lord where he can be found?

  6. Pingback: Growth through Hardship | Stephanie M. Gammon

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