The two passages for our sermon yesterday were both related to complaining.

In Exodus 16:2-15 we heard about the grumbling Israelites who had escaped the Egyptians when God helped Moses to part the Red Sea.

In Matthew 20:1-16 we heard about the vineyard workers who complained because some workers worked all day and others worked a shorter day but all were paid the same wage.

How many times when it comes to our adoption process, or our kids, do we act like the Israelites or the vineyard workers? Why is my home study taking so long? Why hasn’t the worker returned my calls? Why haven’t I been matched with a child yet? Why is my child acting this way?

I’m plenty guilty myself lately. Patience has never been one of my virtues or gifts of the Holy Spirit. (See Galatians 5:22-23). I want things done in my time and not God’s time. This is simply not possible with adoption. We have to wait on everyone else’s schedule and we tend to grumble like the Israelites.

Life isn’t fair. God never promised it would be, but He did promise He would be with us. Many times we get caught up in earthly thinking and forget to pray. Again, I’m guilty as well. It’s easy to try to control things ourselves. If I scour the waiting children listings, I’ll find the right child. If I continue to call the worker, I’ll catch her in her office at just the right time. We forget that we may not matched with a child when we want to, because there is another child that would be a better fit for our home or that needs our special skills and advocacy.

I have adopted, done foster and provided respite for the past nine years. There are children who have passed through my home simply so that I could help to find the right placement for them. This summer we had a young girl that was supposed to be here for respite for the summer. I was hesitant to do this because of some things that I knew. However, she did come and within a few days she met another adoptive family that I am friends with and she is now a permanent member of their household. God brought her to my home to get her into this placement. This was not my plan, but God’s.

When I complain about all the issues we have endured with our son, I have to remember that God placed him in my home for a reason. It doesn’t always make what I have to deal with easier. I still have to advocate and find services, and sometimes fight, but this is what God wants me to do.

When you feel like whining, grumbling or complaining, turn heavenward and remember to pray. Work on changing from the grumbling Israelites and vineyard workers to the people God wants us to be.

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