Quit Your Grumbling and Complaining
We are by nature complainers. We live in a whining world. The whole world is whining. Grumbling and complaining are certainly not new problems. In numerous examples in the Old Testament books of Exodus and Numbers, the Israelites bitterly complained against God and against Moses in the wilderness. They had much better food when they were slaves in Egypt. They didn’t have enough water. They accused Moses of trying to kill them all in the wilderness. It provoked God to anger and it resulted in strong discipline from the Lord (Read Ex. 16:1-8; 17:1-7; Num. 11:1-6; 14:1-4; 21:4-9; 1 Cor. 10:1-12).
What can we learn from these examples? What’s the heart behind our grumbling and complaining? And how can we overcome our temptation to grumble and complain and murmur? That is the theme of a recent episode of Delight in the Word broadcast. Let me encourage you to take 26 minutes to listen to the apostle Paul’s exhortation from Philippians 2:14-16.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Phil. 2:14-16