“14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
Philippians 2:14-15 (NIV)
Grumbling
I feel like grumbling today. Winters here in Oklahoma tend to be on the milder side. We get a little cold and a little snow, enough to make it feel like winter. But, this year, we are breaking all kinds of records. We tied the record for most days below freezing, and then we broke the record for the coldest temperature.
But why is grumbling bad? The kind of complaining Paul is describing has the appearance of us saying God is not treating us fairly. Or that we think we know better than God. No Grumbling Click To TweetOn top of that, we had one of the snowiest winters in over 100 years. These records brought frozen pipes and rolling blackouts across the state. The snow and cold stretched all the way down to Mexico. And the entire state of Texas felt temperatures below freezing one morning. I think many of us are tired of the cold and ready for some warmth.
The definition of grumbling includes an action or fact of complaining in a bad-tempered way or expressing a complaint in a bad-tempered way.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grumbling
Why?
What do you feel like grumbling about today? Maybe it’s about COVID-19 lockdowns or the weather or finances or a million other things. Everybody grumbles, don’t they? The rich, poor, good, bad, non-Christian, and Christian all find something to complain about in this life. So, what’s the harm in it?
The Apostle Paul encourages us to do everything without grumbling or arguing. He wants us to understand that we are different from the world. So by not complaining and fighting, we are set apart. Paul further explains that if we act differently from the rest of the world, we will shine among them like stars in the sky. Paul does not mean for this to be boastful, but instead, he wants us to reflect the light of Jesus. Just like the way the stars reflect the light of the sun.
Is Grumbling Bad?
But why is grumbling bad? The kind of complaining Paul is describing has the appearance of us saying God is not treating us fairly. Or that we think we know better than God. And, our words become like the child stomping their feet because they did not get what they wanted. As the world watches the faithful, they too question God for His action or lack of effort. My complaints turn them away from God instead of to Him.
God encourages us to pour out our sorrow, anger, depression, fear, and disappointment to Him. No Grumbling Click To TweetKing David showed us how to lament the events of the world without causing damage like complaining. We find one example in Psalm 142:2 (ESV); “I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.” David’s example differs because he complains in private. He talks to God about his problems, not to the world. God encourages us to pour out our sorrow, anger, depression, fear, and disappointment to Him. All throughout the Psalms, we see how God wants us to handle our grievances.
Verses for Not Complaining
Here are some other verses to remind us how not to act:
- John 6:43 (NIV): “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered.”
- I Corinthians 10:10 (NIV): “And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.”
- Psalm 106:25 (NIV): “They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord.”
Verses to Encourage
And here are some additional verses to encourage us:
- 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV): “Do everything in love.”
- Psalm 74 (NIV)
- 2 Peter 1:4 (NIV): “Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
So go ahead and complain to God, but no grumbling. Learn from the lamenting psalmists and from Paul how to be a faithful complainer.
Prayer
Heavenly Father. Sometimes I feel like grumbling because of my circumstances. Forgive me for following the example of the world instead of Your model. Help me to bring my troubles to You as I seek to understand Your purposes. Teach me to always trust in Your ways even when I don’t understand. Amen.
Blessings,
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian author, blogger, and speaker.
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Click photo to purchase books
Additional Resources:
God bless you and your ministry, Yvonne. We are so blessed to have met you!
Thanks Craig. I feel the same. God knew we needed to meet each other. You guys are such a blessing to so many people. 🙌🙏
I pray my “grumbling” will turn into “thanksgiving”. 🙂
The best option for when we feel grumbly 😊. May we always turn them into praises. Thanks Melissa. Grace and peace to you.
You hit a target today–me. Grumble, grumble took up much of my morning. Great post!
Thanks Nancy. It is so easy today when things are going wrong. May we all remember to turn them into praises. Grace and peace to you.
A very timely post with helpful suggestions for rising above the grumbling instincts.
Thanks Janice. After a year of pandemic, I think we all need the reminder including me. Grace and peace to you.
Ouch!
Thank you for the reminder that grumbling is the same as saying I know better than Him!
Double ouch!
Triple ouch because it is the same for me. God knows us so well to even tells us about it in the Bible. Thanks Ava and grace and peace to you.
It is SO easy to grumble. All we have to do is let our sinful nature have its way, allowing that niggling detail that’s bugging us to make us irritable and out of sorts. All we need to be is wake up annoyed with our spouse for some small irritation, and easily we can then begin to complain and to grumble. We are so thoroughly flawed, that when we gather together in groups, often the entire conversation is spent grumbling about the weather (we Texans had our 12 – 14 degree temperatures and no power for our 4-day winter, as you mentioned), the high prices, the slow process of vaccination, the way our spouse made a certain statement. And on and on and on. A great admonishment and reminder for us here at the end of winter and eleven months into a pandemic, Yvonne.
It is very easy to fall into the trap of grumbling and digging the hole deeper and deeper. Soon the grumbles can lead us to despair. But, the answer is so easy, give it over to God and look for ways to praise. Then our spirit will be uplifted. Thanks Melinda. Peace and grace to you.
I’m thankful the Father listens to my grievances, even as I sometimes forget to show gratitude for the many blessings in my life. (You are one of them.) Thank you for this timely reminder.
Awww- you are sweet. You are a blessing to many people as well. I continue to pray for you 🙏😊❤️. Grace and peace to you dear friend
Yvonne, this is such an important teaching. And wow, do I need reminders of this daily! You are absolutely right, it stems from us “judging” God for not doing something we feel is “fair” or not meeting our personal demands. And God does make room for lament, as shown in scripture. May we pour out our hearts to Him and then receive His refreshing love. Without grumbling!
Amen Melissa. Easy to say but it takes effort to make it happen. Thanks for commenting. Grace and peace to you.
Agree, Yvonne! It’s so easy to get caught up in grumbling! Like how you encourage us to go to the Lord, David, Jeremiah, and the Psalmists, lamented to the Lord! They point blank asked God where was He and why were they suffering! This struck me as something we all need to consider as Christians: “As the world watches the faithful, they too question God for His action or lack of effort. My complaints turn them away from God instead of to Him.”
Thanks so much Karen. We have to understand how are actions and reactions appear to those around us. Grace and peace to you