Complaining
Complaining is not of God, because complaining is doubting God. Why do we
complain? As the Israelites encountered danger, shortages, and inconvenience,
they complained bitterly and longed to be back in Egypt (Exodus 16:1-10) verses 2-
3 says “and the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against
Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, would
to God we had died by the hand of the Lord Yahweh in the land of Egypt, when we
sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for you have brought us
forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger”. But God provided
for their needs. Difficult circumstances often lead to stress, and complaining is a
human response. In the pressure of the moment, they could not focus on the cause
of their stress (in this case, lack of trust in God); they could only think about the
quickest way of escape. When pressure comes your way, resist the temptation to
make a quick escape. Instead, focus on God’s power and wisdom to help you deal
with the cause of your stress.
Some complaints are valid. As we read Numbers 11:1-17 we see that the Israelites
murmured and complained so much that it wearied Moses “and Moses said to the
Lord Yahweh, wherefore have You afflicted Your servant? And wherefore have I not
found favor in Your sight, that You lay the burden of all this people upon me?” The
Israelites complained, and then Moses complained. But God responded positively
to Moses and negatively to the rest of the people. Why? The people complained to
one another, and nothing was accomplished. Moses took his complaint to God, who
could solve any problem. Many of us are good at complaining to each other. We
need to learn to take our problems to the One who can do something about them.
The Bible says in (Philippians 4:6-7) “be careful for nothing, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus”.
Dissatisfaction comes when our attention shifts from what we have to what we don’t
have. The people of Israel didn’t seem to remember what God was doing for them,
setting them free, making them a nation, giving them a new land. They were so
wrapped up in what God wasn’t doing for them. They could think of nothing but the
delicious Egyptian food they had left behind. Somehow they forgot that the brutal
conditions of Egyptian slavery was the cost of eating that food. Every morning the
Israelites drew back their tent doors and witnessed a miracle. Covering the ground
was white, fluffy manna, food from heaven.
What happens when we complain? God gave them what they asked for, but they
paid dearly for it when a plague struck the camp (Numbers 11:18-20, 31-34) “and
say you to the people, sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and you shall eat
flesh, for you have wept in the ears of the Lord Yahweh, saying, who shall give us
flesh to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt, therefore the Lord Yahweh will give
you flesh, and you shall eat. You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days,
neither ten days, nor twenty days. But even a whole month, until it come out at your
nostrils, and it be loathsome to you, because that you have despised the Lord
Yahweh which is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, why came we forth
out of Egypt? And there went forth a wind from the Lord Yahweh, and brought
quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on the
other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of
the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next
day, and they gathered the quails, he that gathered least gathered ten homers, and
they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. And while the
flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord
Yahweh was kindled against the people, and the Lord Yahweh smote the people
with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah,
because there they buried the people that lusted”.
Paul warns the Philippians “do all things without murmurings and disputings. That
you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst
of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world”
(Philippians 2:14-15).
There is no thankfulness in complaining. Colossians 3 breaks it down for us verse
8 says “but now you also put off all these anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy
communication out of your mouth” and verses 12-14 says “put on therefore, as the
elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if
any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you, so also do you.
And above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfect-ness”.
Verses 16-17 says “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching
and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in word, or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him”;
verses 23-24 says “and whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not to
men. Knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance for
you serve the Lord Christ”. If we focus on doing things for Jesus and not man, our
thankfulness can rise. Out life should be characterized by moral purity, patience,
and peacefulness, so that we will shine brightly in a dark and perverse world. A
transformed life is an effective witness to the power of God’s word. Are you shining
brightly, or are you clouded by complaints and arguing? Shine out for God.
Remember the love chapter (I Corinthians 13).
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: December 11, 2007
Complaining is not of God, because complaining is doubting God. Why do we
complain? As the Israelites encountered danger, shortages, and inconvenience,
they complained bitterly and longed to be back in Egypt (Exodus 16:1-10) verses 2-
3 says “and the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against
Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, would
to God we had died by the hand of the Lord Yahweh in the land of Egypt, when we
sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for you have brought us
forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger”. But God provided
for their needs. Difficult circumstances often lead to stress, and complaining is a
human response. In the pressure of the moment, they could not focus on the cause
of their stress (in this case, lack of trust in God); they could only think about the
quickest way of escape. When pressure comes your way, resist the temptation to
make a quick escape. Instead, focus on God’s power and wisdom to help you deal
with the cause of your stress.
Some complaints are valid. As we read Numbers 11:1-17 we see that the Israelites
murmured and complained so much that it wearied Moses “and Moses said to the
Lord Yahweh, wherefore have You afflicted Your servant? And wherefore have I not
found favor in Your sight, that You lay the burden of all this people upon me?” The
Israelites complained, and then Moses complained. But God responded positively
to Moses and negatively to the rest of the people. Why? The people complained to
one another, and nothing was accomplished. Moses took his complaint to God, who
could solve any problem. Many of us are good at complaining to each other. We
need to learn to take our problems to the One who can do something about them.
The Bible says in (Philippians 4:6-7) “be careful for nothing, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus”.
Dissatisfaction comes when our attention shifts from what we have to what we don’t
have. The people of Israel didn’t seem to remember what God was doing for them,
setting them free, making them a nation, giving them a new land. They were so
wrapped up in what God wasn’t doing for them. They could think of nothing but the
delicious Egyptian food they had left behind. Somehow they forgot that the brutal
conditions of Egyptian slavery was the cost of eating that food. Every morning the
Israelites drew back their tent doors and witnessed a miracle. Covering the ground
was white, fluffy manna, food from heaven.
What happens when we complain? God gave them what they asked for, but they
paid dearly for it when a plague struck the camp (Numbers 11:18-20, 31-34) “and
say you to the people, sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and you shall eat
flesh, for you have wept in the ears of the Lord Yahweh, saying, who shall give us
flesh to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt, therefore the Lord Yahweh will give
you flesh, and you shall eat. You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days,
neither ten days, nor twenty days. But even a whole month, until it come out at your
nostrils, and it be loathsome to you, because that you have despised the Lord
Yahweh which is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, why came we forth
out of Egypt? And there went forth a wind from the Lord Yahweh, and brought
quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on the
other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of
the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next
day, and they gathered the quails, he that gathered least gathered ten homers, and
they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. And while the
flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord
Yahweh was kindled against the people, and the Lord Yahweh smote the people
with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah,
because there they buried the people that lusted”.
Paul warns the Philippians “do all things without murmurings and disputings. That
you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst
of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world”
(Philippians 2:14-15).
There is no thankfulness in complaining. Colossians 3 breaks it down for us verse
8 says “but now you also put off all these anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy
communication out of your mouth” and verses 12-14 says “put on therefore, as the
elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if
any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you, so also do you.
And above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfect-ness”.
Verses 16-17 says “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching
and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in word, or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him”;
verses 23-24 says “and whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not to
men. Knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance for
you serve the Lord Christ”. If we focus on doing things for Jesus and not man, our
thankfulness can rise. Out life should be characterized by moral purity, patience,
and peacefulness, so that we will shine brightly in a dark and perverse world. A
transformed life is an effective witness to the power of God’s word. Are you shining
brightly, or are you clouded by complaints and arguing? Shine out for God.
Remember the love chapter (I Corinthians 13).
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: December 11, 2007
