As believers of the sovereign God and the God of providence, there's no place for us to whine or grumble in difficult situations, only to be patient, prayerful, and humble.
We always need to remember that, by nature, we deserve nothing from the hand of God but just condemnation. God owes us nothing. We owe Him everything, even our lives.
But thanks be to God that in Christ and through Christ He has graciously pardoned us of all our sins and cleanses us from our every unrighteousness. In His great love, the Lord has promised us eternal life in His Son.
Eternal life, the privilege to know in a saving way the One true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, is already the experience of every believer in this life. This knowledge helps us to grow in obedience, faithfulness, patience, and humility .
As disciples of Christ, patience, gratitude, and humility are important godly characters that we ought to nurture and develop.
On humility, the late Jerry Bridges once wrote, "Humility in every area of life, in every relationship with other people, begins with a right concept of God as the One who is infinite and eternal in His majesty and holiness."
Bridges continued saying, "We are to humble ourselves under God's mighty hand, approaching every relationship and every circumstance in reference to Him. When relationships with people are good and circumstances are favorable, we are to humbly receive these blessings from His gracious hand. When people are mistreating us and circumstances are difficult, we are to humbly accept them as from an infinitely wise and loving heavenly Father" ("The Practice of Godliness [1996]," 74-75).
Left on our own strength, it's impossible for us to be humble and patient in difficult situations. Our tendency is always to complain and insist on our rights. But God gives grace to the humble - those who have been humbled by His grace in the first place.
We are, by nature, proud and grumpy. But God's grace makes us endure trials and hardships. It makes us grateful when God delivers us from pain and misery. Humility is God's gracious reward for us who have learned to trust in His divine providence.
Christ, by His Spirit, enables us to be thankful when relationships and circumstances are going right and humble and patient when they are going wrong. We learn gratitude, humility, and patience in various circumstances God sends our way, enriching our lives with His blessing that we may always live for Him and His glory.
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