Complaining to God or Blaming God?
You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long.
Jeremiah 20:7-8
It appears Jeremiah is complaining to God because he was deceived by how the people received his words from God. How often do we attempt to bring the truth to people but find it’s a futile effort? Jeremiah is complaining to God and not blaming God because he knows everyone has freewill. We may often complain to God about how difficult Satan makes ministering to others, but we never blame God for the evils of Satan!
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; (James 1:13). When we see people living in Satan’s lies, we often voice our complaint; this can increase the fire in our Spirits, making us more powerful Spiritual warriors. But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten (Jeremiah 20:11). Even though Jeremiah was complaining about the reaction of the people to his divine words, he knew the Lord was with him, giving him divine strength to continue bringing God’s truth to the people as a fearless spiritual warrior.
Many Christians in this world are suffering for their faith in Christ, and complaining about Satan’s evil ways to God; however they are not blaming God, but they are voicing their displeasure to Satan’s evil. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good (Romans 12:9). We are to hate evil, which causes us to reveal our complaint just as Jeremiah released his anger through complaining.
Our anger can occur against sin and the evil in this world, but our hearts go out to God that we can minister to these souls. We never blame God for evil, because he loves us perfectly and gives us his power to overcome the world no matter what we are facing in life. It seems natural to complain when things in our lives don’t go the way we desire, and when people refuse to believe the truth. Complain to God as a method for seeking his help; for example when lost souls refuse the truth, ask the lord to open their hearts and to give us his words to soften their hearts.
Today hate sin, voice your displeasure of Satan’s evil ways to the Lord, and pray for his divine power to overcome evil. Let Satan and his evil inspire you to overcome and to destroy the darkness with the light of Christ. Let evil increase the fire in your spirit to live in the power of Christ.
Let’s Pray: Lord, see all my complaints as the fight in my soul to overcome evil, to become a spiritual warrior. Help me to walk in your wisdom and in your power. Give me the words and the heart to destroy the darkness of Satan’s lies with the light of Christ’s truth. In Jesus name, Amen