SHOULD WE BE GRUMBLING or COMPLAINING?

1 Corinthians 10:10 NIV (10) And do not grumble, as some of them did--and were killed by the destroying angel.

A dictionary defines the word grumble as “expressing a complaint in a bad-tempered way”.

I think all of us know what it means to grumble, or complain.  We do it everyday.  When things don’t go our way, or when we don’t like how we are being treated, we grumble, we complain.  And what really defines grumbling or complaining is the way we do it, and the words that we use. What we don't realize, as Christians, is how God detests grumbling.

The full passage of 1 Corinthians 10:10 was in reference to the Israelites, and how they were examples for us how NOT to live.

1 Corinthians 10:1-11 NIV (1) For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. (2) They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. (3) They all ate the same spiritual food (4) and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. (5) Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. (6) Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. (7) Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." (8) We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did--and in one day twenty- three thousand of them died. (9) We should not test the Lord, as some of them did--and were killed by snakes. (10) And do not grumble, as some of them did--and were killed by the destroying angel. (11) These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

God was not pleased with most of them.  What was it that God wasn't pleased with them, and should be an example to us today?  Idolatry, sexual immorality, testing the Lord.  And then verse 10 - "and do not grumble".

I believe we all know what it means to grumble, or complain!  We do it everyday!  We see it everyday in the world.  And it has never been so magnified than today.  We read it, watch it, in the news.  The news media like to focus on grumbling and complaining.  After a disaster they will report on the rescue efforts done to save people, but they will also show people complaining about how slow relief is coming, or what the government is doing.  During this pandemic there are so many lives that are being saved, so many good things happening around us, but the news will magnify the complaints of people – not that they don’t have valid reason to do it, my point is that what is magnified is the grumbling.

Social media has given every person today a platform to complain and grumble about everything and anything under the sun.  We post all our grumblings and murmurings, sharing it with everybody.  Sadly, even Christians are part of the scene.  Should we be grumbling and complaining?

Complaining and arguing has been with man from the beginning.

Genesis 4:3-5 NIV In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. (4) But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, (5) but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

The text doesn’t say that Cain was grumbling or complaining, but you can imagine, in his anger, what he was thinking, or even saying.

 It doesn’t become any clearer with the Israelites, as they were travelling to the promised land.

Exodus 15:22-24 NIV Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. (23) When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) (24) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"

 In verses 1-21 Moses had just sang a song about God’s deliverance of His people, parting the red sea.  The Israelites had just left Egypt, and were on their way to the promised land.

But the moment they lacked water they began to grumble.

When they lacked food, they grumbled:

Exodus 16:2 NIV In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

When they were thirsty again, they grumbled:

Exodus 17:3 NIV But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"

 When they scouted the promised land they were about to enter, and so that it was very fertile, but also saw that the people who were living there were powerful and had to be driven away, they grumbled:

Numbers 14:2 NIV All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert!

Even after the Lord had disciplined His people because of their sin, they grumbled:

Numbers 16:41 NIV The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. "You have killed the LORD's people," they said.

 

Again, and again, and again…they grumbled.

They did not take to heart what God had done, what He was doing, and where He was taking them.  All they saw was their own need, their own situation.

 Basically, this is why we grumble and complain, isn’t it?

Instead of seeing what our God has done, what He is doing, and where He is taking us, we focus on what we are going through, what we don’t have, what we want to have – and we grumble and complain.

In what we call the "sermon on the mount", when Jesus was teaching His disciples, He told them:

Matthew 6:31-34 NIV So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' (32) For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (33) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Notice how this is so related to the grumblings of the Israelites? What were the Israelites grumbling about?  What they would eat, what they would drink.

And even if they did not grumble about what they were wearing, it is evident that even if they wandered in the desert for forty years, their clothes did not wear out!

Deuteronomy 8:2-4 NIV Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (3) He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (4) Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.

They grumbled because they failed to see that it was God who was sustaining them, protecting them, providing for them, as they wandered in the desert.

Now, Jesus teaches His disciples not to do the same things.

(31) So do not worry, SAYING, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

When we say these things, we are grumbling, complaining.  What we don’t realize is that we are grumbling against our God.

(32) For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (33) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

The first thing Jesus shows is how this is the life of pagans, who do not believe in God.  They run after these things. That's why all they do is grumble and complain when they are not able to have these things in their life.

We do not grumble or complain about what to eat or drink or wear because these are not the things we are running after!  Christians run after something greater, more fulfilling.

We run after God our Father, who knows what we need.  He knows, and so, we trust Him.  And if we just ask Him to open our eyes, everything we need is right in front of us.  It may not be as much as our neighbor has, but He provides.  So why grumble?

 We do not grumble or complain, because we seek His kingdom and His righteousness.

(33) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

This is what we run after.  We seek Him, life under His reign, and the righteous life that He is worthy of.

And when we seek Him FIRST, then everything we need – what we will eat, drink or wear, He gives, provides for us.  So, why grumble?

So, before you allow the media to influence your thinking, before you are tempted to post your grumbling and complaining about life, step back and think - is this the life God wants you to be living?  Are these the words God wants you to be expressing to everyone?  Or is there something else that we need to be testifying to this world full of grumbling and complaining?

Philippians 2:14-16 NIV (14) Do everything without complaining or arguing, (15) so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe (16) as you hold out the word of life--

Simple Ones Loving Their Simple Ways

Proverbs 1:20-22 NIV Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; (21) at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: (22) How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 

Have you ever wondered who are the “simple ones” who love their “simple ways” being referred to here?  The NASB version translates it as “naïve ones”, being “simple minded”.  The contrast is seen when you read it together with verse 20-21.  Here wisdom is personified, described as a person who is calling aloud in the street, raising her voice, and crying out.  The "simple ones" who love their "simple ways" are those who do not heed the voice of wisdom, who do not hear her cry.

Let’s  set the foundation first.  How does Solomon describe “wisdom”?  There are so many sources of "wisdom" in the world, it is important for Christians to know the source of our wisdom.  In Proverbs 1:7 Solomon writes "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction".

Wisdom, for God’s people, is founded in the fear of the Lord.  The teachings and sayings that Solomon compiles for us in this book are not just wise sayings that we are to try and follow.  Without the fear of the Lord, all these sayings become useless, and simply become “life tips” we should try and follow.  To walk in wisdom is to walk with the fear of the Lord, therefore desiring to know His will and His ways.  We literally become afraid to walk apart from His ways and His Word.

This is the wisdom that Solomon speaks of here, and in the whole book of Proverbs.  In chapter 1 he continues by personifying “wisdom”, describing it as if it was a person.  So, he describes wisdom as “calling aloud in the street, raising her voice, crying out!”.

In other words, the wisdom of God is not hidden, it is not a mystery, to those who fear God and who seek to know His will and His ways.  It is right in front of us.  For Israel it was the “law and the prophets”.  For us today we are blessed to have the Bible, God’s Word compiled in 66 books.

So, who are the simple minded who love their simple ways?

The simple minded are those who do not heed the cry of wisdom, who do not listen to what God has to say.  They are “simple minded” because they just want to make life simple, not complicated, no need to pray or seek for God's wisdom and will.  They walk in this life naïve, not realizing that walking apart from God’s wisdom is folly, it is foolish, and it has its consequences.  For Filipinos it’s living life with the “bahala na” attitude.  We just face life, live as we want, without seeking God and the knowledge of His ways.

Solomon continues and writes:

Proverbs 1:23-31 NIV (23) If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. (24) But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, (25) since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, (26) I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you-- (27) when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. 

Wisdom rebukes, pours out its heart and makes its thoughts known to us.  And when we reject it, do not give heed to it, ignore its advice, what happens?  Wisdom laughs at our disaster, mocks us when calamity overtakes us.

Again, this is wisdom personified.  This is not talking about God laughing at us or mocking us when we reject wisdom.  This is “wisdom” laughing at us.

Have you ever walked apart from God’s will, and then afterwards, when facing the consequences of your action, feel as if you should have obeyed God?  You knew the right thing to do, as God and His Word reveals, and yet went the opposite way.  Our usual response is “I should have followed, obeyed, God”.  There it is – it sounds like wisdom saying “I told you so…”.

And, have you ever been in a situation where, as you are facing the consequences of your action, and then begin to cry out to God for help, for wisdom, you cannot find it?  Look what Solomon wrote:

(28) Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. (29) Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, (30) since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, (31) they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

When we walk away from God’s wisdom, we will eat the fruit of its ways.  If we choose not to walk in the knowledge of God’s will or without the fear of the Lord, we will see its consequences.

There are so many people who ask for God’s blessing, who ask their pastors to pray for blessing, and yet make no effort at all to walk in His ways.  Those are the “simple minded”, who walk naïve of God’s ways and of the truth that walking apart from God’s wisdom has its consequences.

Walking with God is not just about walking with God’s blessings.  It is walking in God’s ways, in His wisdom.  This is the life that God blesses.

But are we even capable of doing that?  Our sinful heart tells us that we have our own wisdom to trust in, that we gained from our education, our experience.  Our self-centeredness naturally moves us to trust in ourselves, our own judgment.  We do not naturally seek God, or His wisdom.  They seem so far and illogical, not applicable to everyday life.

But this is why we need a new heart.  This is why we need a Savior who will cleanse us from this sinful heart, forgive us of our sins, and give us a heart that knows Him, seeks Him, and treasures His wisdom.

This is why Christ Jesus came.  He was the sacrifice that reconciled us to God.  This is why we need Him so much.  Then, and only then, can we truly say that we have a heart that fears the Lord, that seeks His wisdom and knowledge, that we need for our everyday life.

With the new heart that God gives us, we need to step back, take time to seek God and His Word, pray for His will, so that we live life with the wisdom and knowledge of how He wants us to live.  Yes, it does take effort, and it does take time.  But walking in God’s wisdom has the blessing of God.  Isn’t this what we desire to see in our life?  It's not just about seeing God bless us, but seeing the blessing of living according to the wisdom and knowledge of God and His ways.

OUR MIGHTY FORTRESS

Proverbs 18:11 (NASB1995)  [11] A rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own imagination.

Take note how this proverb ends - “in his own imagination”.  During the Old Testament times cities were fortified with high walls to protect them from their enemies, to keep them secure. That’s the analogy Solomon shares with us in this proverb. Wealth is imagined by many people to be what keeps them secure, what will protect them in this life. If there is one thing that is being proven in this pandemic is that wealth does not do that.

Are we still wondering what our God is teaching us in these troubling times?  It is not wealth, or health, or politics, or world organizations, or the brightest of minds, that keeps us safe and secure. 

Psalms 18:1-2 (NASB1995)  [1]  “I love You, O LORD, my strength.”  [2] The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,  My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

And only through Christ, in His death and risen life, can we enjoy this peace from God as we take refuge in Him.

John 16:33 (NASB1995) [33] “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Christ overcame the world by paying the price for our sins. When we repent of our sinful, rebellious life, and believe in Jesus the Christ, in why He was sent, to die for our sins, our sins are washed away, and we are forgiven. There is no greater peace our hearts can have than to know that forgiveness. And when Our faith in Christ reconciles us to God our Father, there is no greater fortress than knowing we are back in the strong and loving arms of our God. That is when we are secure - no matter what circumstance we face in this world. And we have this security all the way to eternity.

We don’t have to imagine this…just believe.

WEARING OURSELVES OUT TO GET RICH

Proverbs 23:4-5 NIV Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. (5) Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Wearing ourselves out to get rich.  Isn’t this how many people live today?  We are tired, exhausted, from trying to get riches in this world, to enjoy the pleasures of life.  It doesn’t matter where you are from – everybody wears themselves out to get rich.  It's like the battle cry of this world.  

This is why we enjoy watching movies, documentaries, interviews of people who have gone “from rags to riches”, from having almost nothing to enjoying financial and material gain in life.  This is what makes us click on those advertisements in social media that promise us easy riches, or what makes us attend seminars from motivational teachers about how to become rich and successful.  This is what attracts us to prosperity preachers, promising us that God does not want us to live in poverty.

This is the driving force in many parents’ hearts.  We tell our children to study hard so they can get a good job in the future, so that they can get us out of poverty.  How many of us parents have made it a life mission to work hard so that our children will not experience the poverty or hardship that we had in life.  It is a noble desire, no question – but is this wisdom from God?  Is this what God wants us teaching our children?  Is this the way God wants us to live? 

One teaching that God taught His people, which is consistent in Scripture, is that of contentment.

Deuteronomy 8:2-4 NIV Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (3) He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (4) Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.

Can you imagine eating manna, bread that miraculously came out of the ground every morning, for forty years!  It is no wonder the Israelites kept complaining and grumbling.  But what was the Lord teaching them?  That man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.  Look at verse 4 – for forty years their clothes and sandals did not wear out.  And yet do we see the people of God thanking Him for it?  There is no clothing or shoe brand that can promise that to us today.  Only God’s promises come true.

Solomon, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote this proverb in the fear of God.  (4) Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. (5) Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.  Sadly, he fell victim to the lures of the flesh and the world, and went against the wisdom of God that he himself taught.  Later on he would write:  

Ecclesiastes 2:8-11 NIV (8) I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well--the delights of the heart of man. (9) I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. (10) I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. (11) Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

The apostle Paul rightly encouraged Timothy to teach the brethren in Ephesus of what God’s will was:

1 Timothy 6:6-10 NIV But godliness with contentment is great gain. (7) For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. (8) But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. (9) People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. (10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

The motive of working hard to spare our children from the poverty that we lived in the past may sound like a noble one at first, but it eventually robs us, and our children, from the wisdom of God’s word that we need to have in our hearts, and instill upon our children.  What is that wisdom?  That godliness with contentment is great gain!  That people who want to get rich fall into temptation and into a trap!  That the love of money is the root of all evil.

Should we not be showing our children, and teaching them, that contentment, and trusting in God's Word, is the way God wants us to live?

Should this not be the very wisdom that guides and guards our hearts everyday – that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God?  

If God said that He is faithful, and will provide for our needs, should we not be trusting Him?  

If God said that He is our Shepherd, and that we will not want, and that He will bring us to green pastures and quiet waters – should we not be trusting Him for this?

If God said that the love of money is the root of all evil, should we not be guarding ourselves from it?

Our Lord Jesus also said:

Matthew 6:31-34 NIV So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' (32) For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (33) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (34) Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Pagans run after all these things - what we will eat, drink and wear.  God's people seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.  This is what we should be running after, wearing ourselves out for.  And what does our God promise?  All these things – what we will eat, drink and wear - He will give them.  He will take care of us.

If a Christian is to wear himself out it should be because He is seeking God's kingdom and His righteousness.  A Christian wearies himself out for God and His Word, to live as God wants Him to live, a life that is pleasing to God.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. (18) Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. (19) In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Let us wear ourselves out for the life that is truly life.

Please Excuse Me

Luke 14:15-24 NIV When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." (16) Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. (17) At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' (18) But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' (19) Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' (20) Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' (21) The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' (22) 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' (23) Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. (24) I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' "

Excuses.

I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it.  Please excuse me.

I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out.  Please excuse me.

I just got married, so I can’t come.

Please excuse me.

 It’s one thing to be invited to a banquet.  It’s another thing to accept the invitation, and attend it.  If we’re invited and are not interested, or feel that the banquet is not that important enough, we will always find an excuse.

The Messiah was with His people. He was inviting them to the kingdom of God.  But they all had their excuses.

So why invite the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame?  These are those who know they are not worthy to attend a banquet, and yet receive an invitation from the King Himself.  And they have no excuse whatsoever, for they have nothing in this world.  So they accept the invitation.

 It’s a common scenario even today.  Many, through the gospel, are invited to the kingdom of God, through belief and faith in Jesus Christ.  But there are so many excuses.

It’s a common answer today.  Many, through the gospel, have been invited to the banquet in the kingdom of God.  But they always find a reason to decline the invitation.  There is always an excuse.  They don’t feel the need to attend.

But there are those who will respond.  These are the “poor”.  Not the poor materially, but the poor “in spirit”, who know they are not worthy of an invitation, and who have no excuse to hold on to.  When they hear the invitation of the King, they humbly accept.

 And when these “poor” accept the invitation, they become disciples.  These disciples become a people without excuse, as they continue to follow their King – the Lord Jesus.

 Luke 14:25-27 NIV Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: (26) If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. (27) And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Someone who has been graciously invited to the banquet of the kingdom is not just enjoying the banquet, but now belongs to the kingdom.  He is now a disciple of the King.  He now follows Him.  And from that time on there is no one more important in his/her life than the King who has graciously brought them into His kingdom.  And so he/she follows Him, walks with Him, serves Him.

No excuses.

It is this love, this obedience, this allegiance to Jesus that puts all other people, all other things, in our life so far apart from Him.  We love the Lord so much that it looks like we hate them.  This is not promoting hatred towards our family, or others.  We are to love one another. But, when it comes to our relationship with God there should be no opposition, no rival, no equal.  Not even our husband, wife, children, parents, and, yes, EVEN OUR OWN LIFE.  We become willing to carry our own cross and follow Jesus.

No excuses.

We may be believe that we have accepted the invitation to the banquet in the kingdom of God, through our faith in Jesus as our Savior.  But, are we making excuses with regards to following Him?  The invitation to the kingdom is not just about a banquet, but it is also about being a disciple, following Him.

Is there a field we have just bought?

Is there a yoke of oxen we have bought to work it and earn from it?

Is there a relationship that stops us from following our Lord with our whole heart?

 

Are we still making excuses?

WHY WERE THE OLD DAYS BETTER THAN TODAY?

Ecclesiastes 7:10 NIV Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions.

I think we are all familiar with the phrase “the good old days”.  We reminisce with old friends and family, look at old pictures, and remember the good old days.  It usually brings a smile to our face, and maybe even a little sigh, as we remember those days.

But why does Solomon have this word of wisdom - "Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions”?"

Look at the question Solomon wrote carefully – “why were the old days BETTER THAN THESE”.  This is not just reminiscing about the good old days.  It’s about looking at the old days, comparing it today, and complaining about why "today" is not good, or as good as the past.  That’s when it is wise NOT to look back at the old days – when it brings sadness, bitterness and complaint, rather than THANKSGIVING for what God is doing today, no matter what it is that we are facing.

Solomon actually continued:

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 NIV (13) Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? (14) When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.

The God many believe in is actually a servant, rather than a Sovereign King.  If we believe that our God is a wise and sovereign God, then we believe that everything that happens to us is in His control.  When we look at the past and wonder why the present is not as good, we question the sovereignty of God’s working in our life.  Yes, we pray for a straight path, but there will be times when God will bring a crooked road for us to travel in.  Instead of trying to straighten it, we should just trust God to see us through every twist and turn, and let Him straighten our hearts through the process.

What happened in the past has passed.  Today’s circumstances are another chapter in our life.  And, we have no idea what God is doing to do in our future.  It is always best to set our hearts on God who is sovereign over every step that we take, that we see that the God who was with us in the past is the same God who is with us today, and who holds our future.  No matter what we experienced in the past, what we are going through today, and what the future will hold for us, our God will never leave us or forsake us.

How can we be assured that our days are really in His hands?

Romans 8:31-32 NIV What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? (32) He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

 For some of us the “good old days” were actually not good.  But, in reality, all of us have gone astray from the presence of God in our life.  This is what makes us sinners.

But God sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins, that we may be reconciled to Him.  When we trust Him as our Savior, and He becomes the Lord of our life, our lives are now in His hands.

Romans 8:35-39 NIV Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (36) As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." (37) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (38) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, (39) neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And that’s how we know that, no matter how our past was, what we are experiencing now, or what we will face in the future, God’s love in Christ Jesus will see us through.