ELOGOS for Wednesday

​Psalm 69:7-9
It is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that shame has covered my face.
I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children.
It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
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One of the more brilliant pieces of advice I received about ministering to a youth group on a trip was giving them permission to complain within a designated and limited time frame. For example, it is all right to complain about the food for five minutes only starting now. I appreciate how parents have to deal with complaints of their children, but a group leader has to deal with a multitude in a confined space. It is the stuff that bleeds the joy out of a person. Our tendency with pain and suffering (our own or anyone else's) is to stifle it, make people feel worst for complaining or doubling down. We blame others. We embrace the crippling nature of being a victim. BUT sometimes, we just have to face the fact that pain, suffering, death, and injustice happen. Sin happens. We bring it on ourselves. We make it worst. It happens to us beyond our ability to control. The brilliance of the Psalms and the culture of the ancient scriptures is that people are given permission to complain. This is a psalm of lament. Lament is a fancy word for whining. It is all right to whine. The time for lamenting should be limited. There are other parts of life that we will miss entirely if we don't do the lamenting part well and for a limited time. Got a reason to hurt and complain? You probably do. It is all right to complain. It is equally all right to call time and enjoy the trip. 
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Grant me the wisdom to know when I just need to complain and when to stop complaining. Amen.