1 Kings 18:9-16, Philippians 2:14

I do not know about you but I struggle with complaining. I have been in church long enough that I do not openly go around voicing my complaints, and now that I’m a pastors wife I try even harder not to let any discontentment show; but, I constantly find myself muttering under my breath, thinking to myself about how unfair or terrible something is. 

As a mother and wife, I am constantly asked for things or to do things, and I do not always have the best attitude in response. While having devotions with my children we came across the story of Elijah and the widow woman. I was struck by her response to Elijah’s request. A complete stranger asks her for water, during a drought I might add, and she stops what she is doing and goes to get it. No complaining. No rebuttal. Then on top of it he asks for food as well. 

Again she does not complain. She explains her situation to Elijah, and when he insists on her feeding him she does so without question. She could have easily told him no or emphasized her child and hers needs. Instead she obeyed the leading of God’s preacher. As we see in the verses, God multiplied what she had. 

After reading this, I stopped to think how I would have responded. Would I have helped? Would I have been complaining the whole way? Would I have been muttering under my breath while picking up sticks about “Did he not hear me? I told him I did not have enough. I told him we are going to starve.”?  

I am trying to train my children to “do all things without murmurings and disputings”, but am I being the right example? I desire to be the like the widow woman. One who is willing to help and to serve without complaining.