A Prayer about My Whining
Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak. (Isa. 40:27–29 NIV)
Gracious Father, I remember my parents’ “get over it” body language when I would whine as a child. I forgave them once I became a parent. Nobody likes to be on the other end of a whine.
Today I find great delight in knowing that I am your child, but you will never be disgusted with me. You will never roll your eyes at me. You will never slam a door in my face. You will never be irritated with me or shame me. The only look you give me reminds me of your welcoming heart. Though you find no pleasure in my whining, you find great pleasure in your Son. And because you have hidden my life in Jesus, you find great delight and pleasure in me.
Though it presently feels as though heaven isn’t paying attention to some very important things in my heart and story, I hear you say to me in the gospel, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and you will find rest, because I will give you rest.”
Jesus, you took the ultimate abandonment of the cross that I might be assured I will never be disregarded or abandoned. Though I’m tired and weary, you’re not. Though you may not answer me the way I want you to answer, you promise to give me all the power and strength I need for my present weakness. Turn my whining into worship this day, O gracious and ever-present Lord. I pray in your loving name.
Amen.