Worrying and Complaining

Jesus, after telling the story of the man who spent his life storing up good for himself only to die without a chance to enjoy it, said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear." (Luke 12:22)

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?", he queried (Luke 12:25).

It's a good point; why do we worry about things we can't control? And when examined closely, do we really even have that much to complain or worry about?

In today's Wall Street Journal Opinion, Gregg Easterbrook points out some interesting statistics about the state of our Union.

Unemployment is 5.5%, low by historical standards; income is rising slightly ahead of inflation; housing prices are down, but the typical house is still worth a third more than in 2000; 94% of Americans do not have threatened mortgages, and of those who do, most will keep their homes.

All forms of pollution other than greenhouse gases are in decline; cancer, heart disease and stroke incidence are declining; crime is in a long-term cycle of significant
decline; education levels are at all-time highs.

Sure, gas prices are up, the dollar is weak and credit is tight – but these are complaints at the margin of a mainly healthy society.

So why are we so worried? Why do we spend so much time fretting over frivolous things like gas prices? (Did you know that California gas prices are still cheaper than in the UK, Germany, or France?)

Could it be that we, as sinful humans, are proned to complain and worry? I think our worry and our discontent comes from an inability to see all the good things that God has blessed us with. Worry is a form of unfaithfulness and complaining is ungodly discontent.

Take a moment today to consider all the wonderful things that you do have instead of focusing on all the bleak forecasts we hear around us. Remember Jesus' words; "Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!" (Luke 12:24)

Press on!