Who doesn’t complain about one thing or another, probably on a weekly basis? The people of the Old and New Testaments were no exceptions. Even the apostles voiced complaints from time to time. Often they didn’t understand Jesus’s teachings, and they didn’t realize their own worth. The Israelites wandering in the desert raised a continuous litany of complaints: “We are thirsty! We are hungry! We want to go back to Egypt! Who put you in charge?”
As we speak, two of my family members lie on their deathbeds, awaiting their release into the loving arms of God. It is hard on the whole family to walk through these kinds of circumstances, especially during the holiday season, as the holidays are commonly difficult anyway, our past grief over the loss of a loved one returning to us in sometimes subtle, sometimes powerful ways.