“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:21 ESV
We were literally made to rejoice in the Lord. Even within our anxiety and trials we can give thanks, not because of our circumstances, but because we know the One who loves us and will use all things to bring us closer to Himself.
“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:5–7 ESV
Notice the striking difference between the two verses under consideration. The truly reasonable thing to do in this world is to give thanks to God for all the blessings we have. Likewise, the foolish and darkened heart refuse to acknowledge and thank Him. To live one’s life is to live according to a code…a standard. It’s not a question of whether we will, but will it be the right one. The logical path is to acknowledge the obvious truth that we exist in a world created by Him and for Him. This means that our whole live is because of and for Him. All alternatives, logically speaking, self-destruct and result in thanklessness and lack of inner joy. To see the world as an accident of time and chance means that nothing – including us – ultimately matters. To believe in a pantheistic universe, that is, a spiritual one without a personal creator, is to exist in a meaningless void. It’s not often taught, but the fact of Jesus Christ dying for our sins and rising for our justification means that our lives are not short, brutal and without meaning.
More still, in Christ we discover the path to true peace, which is peace with God – a peace that surpasses all human knowledge. It’s a peace that allows us to rejoice in our sufferings (Romans 5:1) and praise God in all things. Do we want that peace? Well, here’s the way. The way is salvation through faith alone that results in us delighting ourselves in the Lord (Psalm 37:4). The claim to be a Christian, if not accompanied by delight in Him, that rejoices in His holiness and the perfection of His grace, is a counterfeit faith.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 ESV
This isn’t so hard to understand, is it? That’s the thing about real Christian theology. True biblical doctrine is as easy to understand as knowing that Monday follows Sunday. Yes, and the mighty implications downstream can keep the greatest minds busy. But it’s the living out of the faith that matters. Jesus said:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15 ESV
The goal of Christian living is to honor the Lord and give Him thanks. Men speak of honor in a manner shot-through with the pride of life. No man has honor in himself. All that is hubris and sin; honor is the Lord’s alone. All that we do should be directed toward Him, to His glory and praise, and with thanksgiving. Let us banish this talk of honor from ourselves and speak instead of that which is our true duty, which is to glorify the Father and give Him thanks. The commandment is to rejoice always, to pray and give thanks in all things. This is the commandment to keep and exactly that which will guard our hearts with a supernatural peace – that is, of the Spirit.
Spurgeon said that complaining is high treason against the King of kings. Complaining is the mark of the unbelief. It’s the identifying mark of the Beast. The one who is always complaining and criticizing is the one who isn’t rejoicing in the blessedness of the one against whom the Lord doesn’t count his/her sin. It’s not a sin to be sorrowful or else Jesus sinned when He wept (John 11:35). Yes, our Lord wept. But He never complained. A man or woman complains when they look at the world through sin-tainted eyes. A Christian may and will complain here and there…and should repent. But it’s the unbeliever who is a complainer. Why? Because the unbeliever lives according to the principle of sin and there’s never any rest for the soul that’s trying vainly to live in the world as though God isn’t in charge. The complainer/unbeliever doesn’t know the great gift of God that is absolute security because, in truth, they don’t trust God. They may trust many tools of their own – whatever they may be, but they don’t trust God.
C.S. Lewis said that the principle of heaven is “Thy will be done.” The principle of hell, he said, is “my will be done.” Complaining is a mark of unbelief the way a fever and chills mark the flu. Complaining and murmuring, and a critical spirit, are dark warning signs of unbelief.
Martin Lloyd Jones said, “I am profoundly grateful that God did not grant me certain things I asked for, and that he has shut certain doors in my face.” This is the type of Christian maturity that comes from full trust in the Lord. It’s the living out of Romans 8, which accepts that the sufferings and frustrations of this present time aren’t worth being compared to the bliss and joy that await us in Christ. To know that all things work together for our good isn’t to say that all things will be immediately pleasurable. Spurgeon once said: “There is no attribute more comforting to His children than that of God’s sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe trials, they believe that sovereignty has ordained their affections, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all.”
It’s like this that the Christian “rejoices” in their trials (James 1:2). It’s not that trials and frustrations are literally fun, but that deep down we recognize the reality of God’s loving guidance over and above them.
The Tempter comes to us and states the truth about our circumstances on the one hand. Yes, we may very well have this or that difficulty. There’s nothing wrong with the tears, nor the sorrows for there is a time and season for everything and over these things God is indeed sovereign (Ecclesiastes 3:1). But what the Tempter then does is whisper and hiss that great cosmic lie! He says that God and His holy word can’t be trusted. The complainer, in their grumbling, shows that they believe him and not the Lord! Do we see the hard math at work now? How can we have peace of mind and heart when we’re calling our Creator God a liar? To rejoice always and give thanks in every circumstance isn’t a commandment in the way a poor manager demands that an employee get 10 minutes worth of work done in five. God is merely “commanding” the truth. It’s as though the Almighty One is telling you to get wet while swimming. It’s not possible to be saved and yet not rejoice. He’s telling us to take the action upon which the principle of our salvation rests. Dustin Benge said:
“If your theology makes you increasingly bitter, ungenerous, and critical, it has filled your head, not your heart.”
Spurgeon, that great prince of preachers said that “I am greatly afraid that many professing Christians do not realize what a gross sin it is to complain.” Why? Because to know God as Savior is to be most blessed! For a man who has walked away from hell to grumble and complain about lesser things is like a man on death row, pardoned by the governor, set free after many years, on his way home but yelling at a traffic light. Or because there are bad songs on the radio.
The disconnect is theological.
The sin-principle that hasn’t died within the unbeliever, or not put to death by the immature believer, is that principle of self…of thinking one’s circumstances are life’s key, not God. The desire to control life and the future leads sinners to conspire and strive against others. It leads them to grumble against their circumstances, which is really against God, because they’re still convinced, deep down, that life is all about them.
So today, if upon examination you find yourself a grumbler, and thanksgiving, especially when frustrated, is as hard for you as running a marathon is to a cadaver, then go to Him and tell the truth. The truth is what repentance and grace are all about. Forgiveness of sin requires two things: for a man to face the truth about himself and to trust the promise of the Lord. This and this alone will yield the great fruit of peace that surpasses understanding. Our circumstances don’t define us or else they’re the goal of life. On the contrary, faith defines us because the purpose of life is to know God, which is to rejoice in His salvation. And ask the Lord for the peace that only He truly brings. Ask of Him the joy of your salvation so that your every thought and conversation is about Him and His work! To rejoice and give thanks is a heart position based on sound doctrine of believing the truth about God and not, repeat not, phony happiness. Crying isn’t a sin! Sadness and sorrow and heartbreak aren’t sin. Christians aren’t called to live phony lives of plastic smiles, but deep and abiding spiritual lives that rest upon Him even within and through life’s many trials and seasons.
There is an epidemic of grumbling and complaining in the church today just as there was in the time of Moses and Israel. Lord grant that, in Jesus name, we won’t perish in the wilderness after our delivery from slavery as were our forefathers. We pray for the joy that is salvation by faith alone…a joy so vast and so deep and broad and overflowing, that a complaint falling from our lips is an unknown thing.
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