He was a man who always had a frown on his face, complaining about everything. During the holidays, he woke up to a house full of family and he complained. It was too loud, he didn’t like the way the food smelled and he grumbled when the kids ran to him for a hug. He didn’t want to spend time with his family that drove miles to see him, he was simply counting the days until they left. That night, when he laid down, he complained about the sheets, the lumpiness of the mattress and the feel of the pillow. He didn’t even have it in him to thank God, he groaned and pulled the cover over his head. As he slept, an angel appeared who told him everything he complained about would be gone by the time he woke up. All he did, complained about being awakened in the middle of the night. The next morning when he got up, he didn’t hear any noise, he didn’t smell breakfast cooking or the coffee brewing and he didn’t hear kids playing. When he went downstairs the house was looked like no one lived there but him. There were no pictures. NOTHING. He quickly got dressed but then remembered, he had no job, went to the kitchen but he had no food. He thought about the dream as he sat at the table with his head in his hands realizing complaining cost him everything. He started weeping only to be shaken by his wife who was worried about him. This time he did something he hadn’t done in a long time, he pulled her into his arms. Realizing the cost of complaining.

What would you have if God took everything you complained about? The man in the story woke up from his nightmare but how many of you are this man? Walking around complaining because that’s all you know to do? Bitter because your momma/daddy was bitter and it passed down to you? Angry because you were raised by your grandma who was angry? A complainer because that’s what you saw growing up so that’s all you know. How many of you are this man? Taking things for granted because you think you can. Yes, I understand that life may be throwing more balls than you can dodge, car isn’t working, spouse acting strange and the tears won’t stop. But beloved, complaining takes away the effectiveness of God’s grace. Why? Because you won’t be able to see God for the overshadowing of complaining. So, when you want to complain about your feet think about the person who have none. When you want to complain about your hands think about the person suffering from arthritis. When you want to complain about your parents think about the children without theirs. When you want to complain about food think about those digging through garbage cans for their meal. See, there’s a cost to complaining. Are you willing to pay it?