I am honored to introduce to you Chris Malkemes, a woman whom I have grown to love and appreciate so very much. Her love for God and her zeal and passion for His Word is contagious. I am so thankful that God has allowed our paths to cross through blogging. Please make sure to head over to blog and be blessed by her beautiful heart for the lord.

Grumble. Complain. Some are good at it – even skilled in it. I remember a time when that was all I did. Nothing seemed to satisfy.

People listened, as if they had any choice. My voice was going to be heard. I felt justified in the grumbling. I was good at it. They offered advice. I didn’t want advice. I just wanted to vent. Life wasn’t fair. What kind of life is this? I didn’t ask for this. I blamed everyone. I blamed God.

He turned a deaf ear to my complaints and grumbling. The situation worsened with every syllable I spoke. I added sorrow to sorrow with my own hands – with my own lips.

This was how I learned why complaining hurts the heart.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know they do wrong. (Ecclesiastes 5:1)

The soul locked in a vice
The vice of grumbling
Try to pray
Complaints cry louder

Wonder why God doesn’t hear
Complaints
Ushering others into our troubled world
Speak loud
Suffering grows stronger in companionship

Gratefulness yields peace
Thankfulness is the will of God
Yieldedness His pleasure
God is present in the praises of His people

What does complaining yield?

Anger
Frustration
Defeat
Do we not know we do wrong?

It is written
Guard your steps
Go near to listen
No room for complaints

Grumbling multiplies our hardship
Complaining turns our back on God
Yields heartache
Produces nothing

My heart hurt. My soul cried out in pain. I could not take it any more. I needed Him. I crumbled at His feet asking forgiveness. Lord! Help me. What can I do?

He said, “Thank Me in all circumstances. For this is My will for you.”

What? I can’t do that.

He said it again, “Thank Me in all circumstances. For this is My will for you.”

I said, “Sir! I don’t think I can do that.”

In the silence I knew the choice was mine.

With faltering lips and whispered words I mumbled my thanks. It didn’t feel right at first, but with my eyes turned in the right direction they became clear, my soul breathed a sigh of relief and my body relaxed in the words of praise.

[Tweet “Here at the corner of His Sovereignty and Love I found relief – I found freedom. I found Him.”]

The problem didn’t go away, my situation had not changed, but I was different. I changed. I looked at life differently. I accepted His purpose for me. I accepted His will. My yielded heart is His to keep. My lips will ever praise Him. My times are in His hands.

This was a good, but hard lesson for the complaining, grumbling heart. It was not in the complaining that I found the peace I needed, but in the praise.

Chris Malkemes is not a world class Bible Teacher, famous guest speaker or elder, but she is a solid follower of Christ. She writes with a heart toward complete yieldedness. With over twenty years in the military Chris has learned the value of leaning on her Commander in Chief — Jesus Christ her Lord. She lives in the Sunshine State with her husband of 40 years and their adult children, one grandson and three busy dogs. She is a Christian writer blogging at chrismalkemes.com.