Dwelling in the Word- From Complaint to Call

This week, I’d like to do something a little different with our practice of Dwelling in the Word. Rather than beginning with guided reflection questions, I invite you to simply read through each of the lectionary texts once (Lamentations 1:1–6; 3:19–26 | Habakkuk 1:1–4; 2:1–4 | Psalm 37:1–9 | 2 Timothy 1:1–14 | Luke 17:5–10).

As you read, pause and notice: where does God tug at your heart? Is it a verse in the Old Testament laments, where complaint feels raw and true? Or is it in the New Testament call, where faith and purpose shine through?

Take a few moments to sit with that tug. Then, ask yourself:

Why did my heart land here?

Am I resonating with the cry of complaint, or with the summons of calling?

What is God revealing about my life in this season?

God bless this man of mine for being so patient with me when I could no longer be patient as an assistant to changing out his bumper that's rusted on.

In the Scriptures, we see a pattern: complaint is real, but it can also open doors we don’t want opened.

1 Corinthians 10:10 reminds us: “Do not grumble, as some of them did—and were destroyed by the Destroyer.”

Numbers 14 records how Israel’s endless complaints in the wilderness cost them entry into the Promised Land.

Complaint may be holy honesty—but left unchecked, it gives the enemy a foothold.

I’ve learned this not just in Scripture but in my own body. I track my cycle closely, and once each month I notice something: the week before “Aunt Flo,” during the luteal phase, the veil feels thinner. The demons that prey upon me seem to have easier access.

For me, this shows up as PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder)—something I was never taught about until recently. And now, the pattern makes sense. Once a month my emotions run raw, my lizard brain takes the wheel, and complaint rises to the surface.

Just this Monday, I snapped at everyone in my path. By evening I had a splitting headache and couldn’t sleep. I felt worn down, and complaint poured out of me. Yet here I am, finally opening God’s Word. And here, at last, I find rest.

The demons did not prevail. God used even my humanity, even my cycle, for His glory—and reminded me of my call. This week’s sermon grows from that place: From Complaint to Call.

I’ve also decided upon a new luteal phase spiritual practice: a seven-day no-complaint challenge. Every time I complain, the countdown has to restart. I’m still praying on what an “enforcement” should look like—some kind of consequence when I break the streak, and a meaningful reward if I make it through all seven days. Maybe you’ll join me in trying this too, and we can see together how much more space God makes when we close the door to complaint.

Prayer

God of mercy and strength, You meet us in our complaint and do not turn away. Yet You also call us to rise beyond it—to faith, to trust, to purpose. When the veil feels thin and the battle rages within us, remind us that Your mercies are new every morning. Rekindle the gift within us. Turn our complaints into calling, our despair into hope, and our weakness into testimony. In Jesus’ name, Amen.