OUTDOOR TRUTHS: Complaining

By Gary Miller

As deer season begins, my mind goes back to my earlier and less mature years of hunting. Those were the days when I spent more time complaining on the stand instead of being thankful for the opportunity I had to be there. I complained about not seeing deer, about only seeing little ones, and about all my friends having better success than me. And who was I complaining to? Well, God of course. I mean no one else was around and after all He could change my lot if He wanted to. So it was His fault. I mean it shouldn’t have made any difference that I smelled like Right Guard and was hunting with my back to the wind. And it shouldn’t have made any difference that the sound of my Little Debbie cakes opening crackled like a broken microphone. And it shouldn't have made any difference that I was in a location that had only limited deer. No, God should have eliminated all of that and given me my miracle 200-inch deer within the first hour of the hunt. He didn’t. So, I complained.

The truth is, complaining is natural for all of us. If you think about it, most of our mundane, “Good-morning- how-are-you-doing?” conversations lead with a complaint. “Sure is hot.” “Sure is cold.”  “We sure need a little rain.” “Sure wish that rain would stop.” “Work is killing me.”  “I’m just too busy.” It’s true that our natural inclination is to complain. Thankfully, complaining is not always bad. It probably helped our ancestors survive when they realized something was not right. And that’s another thing complaining does. It makes us recognize how things could or should be. There is somewhat a moral compass and a call to action when we complain about the way something is. It’s here that we recognize what is right and correct, and then hopefully create a better way.

Again, if you think about it, very little gets improved until somebody first notices what’s wrong. But there is another side to complaints. Constant complaints without offering a solution can eventually turn you into a complainer. And constant complaints to and about God can reveal something even deeper. A lack of trust. Does God want us to complain? I don’t think He does, but I think He knows we will. Nearly every servant of God in the Bible complained at some point, and God allowed them to voice it. But there were also times when the complaint began turning into something more. It began turning into distrust. And when that happened, God sometimes simply said, “That’s enough.”    So, do you complain about things? I’m sure you do. We all do. But have your complaints turned you into a complainer. If so, don’t be surprised if you hear a familiar voice from your Heavenly Father saying, “That’s enough!” He’s just making sure your disappointment doesn’t become distrust.

Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 24 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Stay updated on Outdoor Truths each week by subscribing at Outdoortruths.org.