Gloom, Despair and Agony

Hee Haw was a country show with music, skits and jokes. I recall one of the choruses quite well:

Gloom, despair and agony on me

Deep dark depression, excessive misery

If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all

Gloom, despair and agony on me.

As I was meditating on my life situation not long ago, I wondered how to make some changes. Instead, I dug myself a hole with shovels of griping, complaining and meditation. Then God reminded me of other people in the Bible who had had trials and how quite a few of them were just like me, lacking in gratitude, appreciation and thanksgiving.

God doesn’t appreciate grumbling. In Exodus 16:2 - 15, the Israelites, delivered from Egypt, sojourned in the wilderness. They complained about lack of water, God asked Moses to strike a rock which subsequently gushed water. When they fondly recalled Egypt where they had dainties like leeks and onions to eat, God sent them manna. Jesus described himself as the bread of life (John 6:31 – 51) and the manna with which the Israelites were fed. He was born in Bethlehem, the House of Bread. Lastly, they yearned for meat, and God sent them so much quail they vomited. God was tired of their “poor pitiful me” attitude.

The Israelites weren’t the only gripers in the Bible. (Jonah 3:10 – 4:11) God had compassion on Jonah sweating in the sun while he awaited God’s destruction of Nineveh and gave him shade via a plant. But the plant died, and Jonah grumbled. 

In Matthew 20:1-16, people were hired by a vineyard owner early in the day, some later around noon and some along toward evening so when the owner went to pay the workers, he gave each one the same salary. But were they unhappy and used their tongues for saltwater rather than sweet. They spoke of their situation as unfair and the business owner in a derogatory manner. The owner told the workers they had agreed to work for the price they were paid no matter how long they worked. They still dissatisfied.

Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us Gods thoughts are not our thoughts nor are our ways his ways for as high as the heavens are than the earth so are his ways higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts.

Philippians 1:27- 30 alerts us to live our lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that when others hear about us they will know we are standing firm in one spirit striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel and are in no way intimidated by our opponents which for them is evidence of their destruction but for our salvation. 

This is God’s doing. He has graciously granted us the privilege not only of believing in Christ but suffering for him as well since we have the same struggles others have had and still have.