The Winter Of Our Content

“14Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. 17But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 18You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.” Philippians 2:14-18

Ouch. In a world full of trouble, the first emotion which bubbles up is discontent, which sets us to grumbling.
It’s also the very first impulse of the flesh which we must fight against, so as to prove ourselves blameless and innocent, children of God.
What does a child of God have to complain about? We’ve been re-united with our Father in Heaven, will live Praising God through all of eternity, as co-heirs with Christ will have Everything beyond everything we could ever comprehend, and then some idiot cuts me off in traf…wait a minute!
To complain is human. To …uhm…uncomplain (?) is divine.
Complaining casts aspersions upon the One Who gives us Life.
Look at Paul writing in the above verse: “even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.”
Paul had been stoned, jailed, shipwrecked, been an outcast from his own people, had known sickness and infirmity with that thorn in his side, but he lived to Praise God and share the Gospel. Further on in Philippians we find:
“4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
I wish I always ‘let my gentle spirit be known to all men’. God is continuing to work in my life, has made me a better person than I was, and will improve me in the future.
Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow.