Why Complain?

For the past 6 weeks, the heating in my apartment (which also provides hot water) has been “on the fritz.” Some days it has worked better than others, and those other days it hasn’t worked much, if at all. When I say “better than others,” I mean that if I fiddle with one knob or finagle with something else, it might work – for a little while.

It started out as annoying, then moved to frustrating and soon to aggravating. On several occasions, I’ve come home, only to find that the heat had not kicked on all day. I’d fiddle and finagle, but could find no way raise the temperature. On other occasions, the hot shower water has abruptly turned ice cold without any warning. On more than one occasion, I have wanted to shout at the heating unit (and maybe even cry!), “Why won’t you just work?!”

Nothing has changed. It still doesn’t work right. I’ve tried to get it fixed. More than one person has attempted to fix it. This week I have an appointment for an expert (with an expert price) to look at it. I’ll be surprised if it’s actually fixed by the end of this week.

Perhaps my circumstances haven’t changed, but God has used this situation to teach me an important lesson – one which I couldn’t have learned any other way. A few days ago God reminded me of a song that my parents played on an LP record back in the 80s when I was growing up. The song, sung by Evie Tornquist, is called “Why Complain.” The refrain simply says “The good things that you got are for many just a dream, so be thankful for the good things that you got.”

These words change everything. Now when I walk into my chilly apartment, I can be thankful for the little heat that I do have, rather than focusing on the fact that it’s not as warm as I’d like. As I put on an extra sweatshirt, thoughts of gratitude spring to mind, for God has provided a place for me to live, clothes to wear, and food to eat. As the hot water suddenly turns cold while I shower, I’m reminded of the many people in the world who don’t have clean drinking water, for whom running water (heated or not) would be a luxury they will probably never experience.

In just a few minutes I’ll be going to bed. As I tuck myself under a pile of blankets and flannel sheets, thoughts of gratitude and praise for God’s goodness and provision will fill my mind, leaving no room for feelings of aggravation for the things I lack. I can drift off to sleep realizing just how truly blessed I am.