June 28, 2025 Devo

A few years ago, a group of ladies from my church was meeting in a room just down the hall from my office. As I walked to the kitchen to get some coffee, I heard their voices and decided to poke my head into the room and say hi. As I walked through the door, one of them immediately looked at me and said, “Can I voice a complaint?” I smiled and said, “No.” Then I immediately turned and walked back out the door. I know. I’m a horrible pastor. I was simply giving my parishioner a hard time, of course. Receiving complaints is a basic part of the job description of a pastor. It’s actually a basic part of the job description for MANY of us, as parents, teachers, salesclerks, or ANYONE who deals with people.
But complaints aren’t always a bad thing. Yes, they are sometimes petty and childish. But often complaints open our eyes to opportunities we’re missing or things that are slipping through the cracks. When I hear a complaint from a church member about needs not being met, it gives us a chance to do a better job as a church. When my wife complains about something I said that I’d do but didn’t follow through on, it gives me a chance to grow as a husband. Also, in every instance, listening and appropriately responding to a complaint gives us the chance to demonstrate love and caring. We can make people feel heard, valued, and affirmed.
Maybe that’s why God doesn’t mind David starting off his Psalm this way. David’s frustrated. He’s afraid. He’s worn out from constant verbal attacks and the plotting against him. So He complains to God. But God’s okay with that. God’s not taking it personally. He knows David needs to vent his feelings. He also knows that David needs to know Someone cares. And God DOES care. He cares A LOT!
Maybe YOU need to complain to God today. Maybe you’ve been dealing with some verbal attacks, personal hurts, or just some frustration that you really can’t talk about with anyone else. Complain to God. He cares about your frustration. He knows that you’re afraid. He completely understands that you are worn out, put out, and that you’ve “had it up to here” with your spouse, your boss, your kids, your parents, or your friend. Tell Him about it. He can take it. And He won’t take it personally.
God sees your complaints as an opportunity. It’s an opportunity for you to unload your pain in a safe and healthy way. It’s sure better than being a gossip or starting a fight! But He also sees it as an opportunity to show you He cares. He wants to make you feel heard, valued, and affirmed. He wants to let you know you’re loved. So go ahead. Complain to God. He won’t mock your pain or turn and walk away. Thankfully, He’s a LOT better pastor than I am! That’s God’s Word for you today.