Let’s stop complaining and start praising the Lord

How do we respond to adverse circumstances? We can respond in a godly way or we can respond in a worldly fashion. “The walls of Jerusalem … had been broken down, and its gates … had been destroyed by fire” (Nehemiah 2:13). Nehemiah responded with faith in God: “Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem … The gracious hand of God is upon me” (Nehemiah 2:18). “Sanballat … Tobiah … and Geshem” responded in a worldly way: “They mocked and ridiculed us” (Nehemiah 2:19).

There are still two quite different responses to suffering. In faith, we can say, “You are just in these judgments, You who are and who were, the Holy One … Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments” (Revelation 16:5,7). There is also the negative reaction: “They cursed the Name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify Him” (Revelation 16:9,11).

Scripture leaves us in no doubt that the better way is the way of praise – “How good it is to sing praises to our God” (Psalm 147:1). We see that “the Lord builds up Jerusalem” and we give praise to the Lord (Psalm 147:2). This “building up” of Jerusalem is more than building with bricks and mortar. It is the gathering together of the Lord’s people, the healing of the broken-hearted, the binding up of their wounds (Psalm 147:7).

As we consider this “building up”, which is the work of God Himself, we are to “sing to the Lord with thanksgiving” (Psalm 147:7). When we choose the way of praise rather than the way of complaint, we bring delight to the Lord: “The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love” (Psalm 147:11).

Charles Cameron, better known as Charlie to his friends, lives in Scotland and is a member of the Church of Scotland. He owns several Christian blogs found at the following links:

Old Testament; New Testament

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