Don't Complain: Spurgeon April 30

The following is my “translation” of Charles Spurgeon’s devotion for the morning of April 30.

“There are Christians who are grumbling and complaining about the situation we are all in right now just like the Israelites did when they were in the desert after being freed from slavery in Egypt. Some believers want to argue with God when He chooses to bring hardship or tribulation upon them. They ask Him, ‘Why are you treating me this way, God? What have I done to deserve this?’

"Let me share something with you that you may not have thought of. Do you think you know better than God what is best for you? Can you honestly say you don’t deserve some form of discipline? Think about everything God has forgiven in your life. You really shouldn’t complain if He uses uncomfortable circumstances to make you more fit for His kingdom. Does this thing you are going through now even come close to what you deserve if all your sins were tallied?

When you realize how deeply sin is rooted in your soul, is it so surprising that God needs to use a little discomfort to shake it out of you? Take an honest appraisal of yourself and see how often your sinful flesh overrules the Spirit within you; is the trial God has laid on you too much in light of your condition? Doesn’t your resistance to God’s superior wisdom prove that you still need some work to be better suited for His purposes? Doesn’t your complaining run contrary to a the fully submitted soul that trusts in God at all times? Couldn’t you use a little correction about now?

"If you insist on resisting God’s discipline, watch out; God has never been easy on those who resist. He will bring harder times on those who don’t submit to His first effort to bring them in line. However, you can be confident of this: ‘For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.’ Everything God does is out of His infinite love and His intention is to purify you and draw you closer to Himself. It will help you get through the trial if you realize that God is only allowing it for your good. ‘Because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?’ Don’t be like the Israelites and complain about your circumstances. ‘And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death.’”

What if God, in His wisdom, has brought COVID 19 upon the world as a form of discipline. Remember that the chastening of God is intended to bring us closer to Him not drive us away. In His loving discipline, He is constantly conforming us to the image of His Beloved Son. This is why we can follow James’ advice: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”