Made for Worship

Wispering complaints.

We were made to worship. It is in us, and it is always looking for an outlet of expression. When we worship our creator with a pure heart, everything in us springs to life like a bird suddenly released from a cage. In true worship, we find the joy of being what we were created to be, images and reflections of God to the rest of His creation. However, much like the physical world, where misdirected growth becomes cancer, misdirected worship also metastasizes into something ugly and ultimately deadly. Complaining is misdirected worship.

Complaining breeds bitterness and is a cancer to the soul.

It gradually overtakes us, it grows slowly without our notice until it defines us and finally becomes us. But we don’t have to yield to unthankfulness, we don’t have to drown in unhappiness. Complaining is singing praise to resentment, spreading misery like true worship spreads thankfulness and joy.

Trouble and pain are often listed as the cause of our complaints, which are really nothing more than a description of our unhappiness. But trouble and pain are simply the realities of living in a fallen world, not the cause of resentment, unthankfulness, and unhappiness. We often justify our complaints by dressing them up as a need to share in order to heal. Sharing pain with a trusted friend can be healing, but complaining to a friend is spreading your disease, not healing. Remember, we are made to worship, and worship is a team sport. We naturally join in with the song of the people around us.

You might be thinking at this point, “So, we should just stuff our feelings and ignore our pain, then?”

Not at all.

The Psalms are a book of worship songs, and they are full of pain and even some shockingly direct complaints to God. So why is that okay, but complaining to my friend is not? Your friend can’t heal or resolve your complaint unless your complaint is against your friend. Evil complaints spew resentment to others, a resentment that is ultimately aimed at God. It is not wrong to ask why, but it is wrong to say to God, “How dare you do that to me!” Sharing that with a friend is asking your friend to join in your resentment against God.

In Psalm 71, David complains that his enemies are slandering and hurting him in many ways. However, look at the tone of his complaint and compare it with ours.

O God, be not far from me; 
     O my God, make haste to help me! 
May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; 
     with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt. 
But I will hope continually 
     and will praise you yet more and more. 
My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, 
     of your deeds of salvation all the day, 
          for their number is past my knowledge. 
With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; 
     I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone. 
Psalm 71:12-16[ESV]

Rather than bitterness and resentment toward God for his troubles, David reaches out to God in faith. David trusts God's righteousness completely, and he shares that faith with others.

Worship is the expression of loving submission to God.¹ It is found in a correct relationship with God and seeks that relationship to the fullest. That relationship will express itself in healthy ways, even when we are experiencing pain and disappointment.

This Week

What do we do with our pain and complaints? This week, let’s examine our hearts for any sign of resentment and entitlement. These are signs that we feel God, this world, and the people in it all owe us a level of respect and fulfillment—signs that we have put ourselves in God's place. To conquer a complaining attitude, we must look to its true source, which is not pretty. Once we have repented, we will be ready to replace our old habits with new ones. The apostle Paul has some suggestions in Philippians 4.

Rejoice in the Lord always; 
     again I will say, rejoice. 
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.
Finally, brothers, 
     whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, 
     whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, 
          if there is any excellence, 
          if there is anything worthy of praise, 
               think about these things. 
Philippians 4:4-8[ESV]

Have a great week!

1. See Romans 12:1