Have you ever had an acquaintance or friend, or even a family member that is always complaining about something or someone? Has it even gotten to the point that you don’t want to answer the phone when their name show on your screen? And have you noticed that the attitude seems to rub off on you? I have and I know others that have this “problem” too.
It makes you want to shake them, ask them if they are truly following what God wants with their actions. I have heard one person say that they are working for God, they help others, they talk to others and try to find out what they need, what they want, but then they turn around and complain and yell that their life is just horrible, that everyone is against them. Even going so far as to talk about what another person is doing to them, how unfair, how wrong that others don’t want to help or be around them. Even telling me that I don’t understand and that I want them to be homeless and on the streets.
It makes me not want to be around this person, or even talk to them. I try to be patient, listening to the rants, try to give them the time to get it all out, but it never stops. So what do I do? (This is a question, I don’t have the answers)
This attitude is spreading right now. We are told to love our enemies, pray for them, be merciful. (Luke 6:27-36). Sometimes this is a difficult thing to do. When you don’t want to talk to that person, hear what they are complaining about this week, usually the same thing, what do you do?
I want to ask them, would you listen to me for a while, I have issues too that I would like to talk about. My family has problems too, things that I can’t fix. Things that don’t seem right, or okay, that make me cry with pain, inside pain. So big that my heart hurts.
But I don’t say anything to them about my pain, they would not listen anyway.
The one thing we both have in common is this: We want to be heard. We want to have someone acknowledge the problems, not necessarily fix anything, but just to say that they heard us. Psalm 66 tells us this, “but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me!” (v. 19-20)
But there is more to this Psalm than just this, the entire chapter is full of praise to God, things that He has done for us. It speaks about being tested like silver being refined. And also speaks about coming out the other side of the trials.
So someone does listen to me! I can go to Him with anything. I praise Him, I love Him and try my best to do what He wants. I don’t succeed very often. I am a work in progress. But I am also still loved.
So back to the first issue. What do we do with people that only want to complain when they talk? Well, I try to listen. I try to think of how to answer their questions without causing more arguments. I try, but don’t always succeed with this either. Remember, work in progress. But the person talking to me is also a work in progress. BUT…not my work. Not mine to fix.
I add them to my list of people that I pray about, they are part of my extended family. I pray for them. I pray for my immediate family. I pray for me. May all of our hearts be filled with the love of God. May everyone reading this know of His love too.
Do I still not answer the phone? Well, work in progress. I do listen to the voicemails.
Treasures 3927 