What Is Wrong With Complaining?
It depends on the situation
Is it complaining against God? Or complaining about life? or complaining all the time? Or is it actually speaking the truth against false things? Sometimes the Holy Spirit shows us things that are wrong, and we don’t know how to properly deal with it.
I have been involved in Christian Ministry for over 20 years. I’ve been to churches where the members are silent about the most ridiculous ungodly activities and projects, because they do not want to be accused of murmuring or complaining.
In the book of Exodus Chapter 4 and Numbers 17, we see that the Israelites are murmuring and complaining against the Lord, and He expressly condemns it.
Some Leaders in churches use this verse and others as a tool to stop ALL dissent in a church. According to these leaders, the flock are supposed to accept and silently go along with everything the leadership does. They are supposed to be silent in the face of abusive behaviors, and the latest fad that does nothing for the Kingdom.
That is false. Sin in leadership, is still sin. Does God support sin?
The scriptures speak of false teachers, false prophets, and false brethren. (2 Cor. 11:28, Gal 2:4, 2 Peter 2)
We are supposed to be wary of such things. That means we should rebuke and stand against it.
As the latter days get closer and closer things will get worse and worse. Believers need to stop being silent about the direction their churches are going in.
When the Holy Spirit reveals that something is not right. Your duty is to pray and ask the Lord, whats wrong. Pray for the people, and study the Word to make sure you are correct. Sometimes, it’s better to just pray, than to confront. Or speak out.
But, when the Lord leads you to speak out, do it in the right way, with love and respect.
You will probably be rejected and ignored, or even attacked. You
might be accused of causing division or murmuring and complaining. You
might be treated as a troublemaker, and never asked to do anything in
the church.
Yes…these are Christian people who do these sorts of
things to other believers. There are people in churches who are about
controlling things not building the Kingdom.
Understand that “Murmuring and Complaining” in the book of Exodus, was a specific thing. They were saying that they wanted to go back to Egypt. They spoke of all the good things of Egypt.
You have to understand what this really is.
It’s like if God delivers a man from alcohol abuse.(Egypt) and the man constantly says that his life was better as a drunk. He misses the parties, and fun. Even though God is moving him to a good place.
That’s what murmuring and complaining is. It is not speaking against false brethren or leaders, or opinions on how to spend money. If leadership must twist scripture to maintain control, then that should be a red flag. You need to know this because churches in these last days will be ran by false brethren and teachers. Look at China today. The legal above ground churches are all ran by pastors who are taught in government funded colleges and are government sanctioned, not God ordained. The churches from God are underground. In China, if you speak out against false doctrine they call the secret police and you find yourself beat. That is where we are headed globally.
Real murmuring and complaining is against the work God is doing in us. It is a tough work. It is a battle between spirit and flesh. The flesh wants to go back to Egypt, but the Lord is taking us to the Promised Land. The journey is hard. We might lose jobs and homes, and friends, and family, and reputation and everything that we hold dear. But, we are gaining the Lord. He is our promised land.
The minute He saves us we have Him. IF we really have Him. Then He works in our lives to change us.
The Israelites refused to confess Him as Lord and trust Him. It’s not about the Law. Joshua and Caleb were not saved because they obeyed rules. They were saved because they trusted in God alone for salvation. They did not trust in their own strength, but in His. They believed His promises. When we complain about the Lord, we are doubting Him. It destroys faith in us and others.
We are called to abide in Him. That is a relationship.
When we cry out to God, He comes running. But if we are not willing to really give ourselves to Him, then we are not saved. The Israelites refused to trust that God was good and doing good things. This is the same lie Satan told Eve in the Garden. He got her to doubt God’s goodness, and promises.
So, understand that murmuring and complaining is about a specific thing in the scriptures. It is not a blanket term to be used to silence people. In the book of Acts, murmuring led to the creation of the deacons. (Acts 6:1-8) So, as I said the Holy Spirit could have stirred some of the people to notice something was wrong, and used it to help the early church, and the deacons were formed. In today’s churches if someone said that the widows were being neglected, they would be called a complainer. They would have to speak to 5 different committees and then go before a business meeting, and then just maybe they might get something fixed. At least until the next committee takes over. Unless of course, they are a member with money. (James 2:1-9)
In Phillipians, it says “Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” (Phil. 2:14)
In context, this is referring to two things. God’s working in our lives, and our appearance before the unbeliever.
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12-13)
God’s
work in our lives can be hard. If we are not careful it can open doors
for a spirit of bitterness. Where we become snarky and talking trash
about the hardness of the battle between the flesh and spirit, or the
changes in our lives.
This phrase “work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling” often leads people to wrongly assume it refers
to a works based salvation doctrine. but it’s actually referring to
dealing with the work God is doing in our lives. Like a child whose
parents have decided to move to another city for work. The child has to
work out how to deal with this, while not becoming angry and bitter.
They have to work out how to deal with the loss of a school, and friends
and a life they had. Major changes happen when we really turn to God,
and we need to work out how to deal with it and not become bitter.
This bitterness can lead to murmurings and disputing with others in
the church. So Paul goes on to explain, that we should be of one mind
and not murmuring and disputing in front of those who we are trying to
help, and lead to Christ. Again, it is not a blanket verse to silence
people from speaking out when something is wrong. It is an admonition to
do it properly, at the right time, and in the right way, when possible.
Course, understand that control freaks and oppressors, also control all
the means of speaking out.
We can see in the next verses that Paul’s admonition for us to not murmur and dispute is to avoid driving people from Christ.
“That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” (Phil. 2:12-16)
Our murmuring and complaining doesn’t hurt God. But, it can drive others away from knowing Christ. Because who would want to join a group that is so un-happy? And again, it comes back to false leadership. Leadership should solve things properly. Not just silence dissent. Leaders who do not treat people rightly, are actually engaging in the thing they seek to stop. Hiding it, doesn’t fix it. It is fixed through love, and a proper answer that heals.
Not only does complaining drive people away in church situations, but also in your own life. Nobody wants to be around that. If every time you come around it is always negative or complaining. No one will want to be around you. Drive that demon out.
A final word on murmuring and complaining is that when you do it, you are driving away your blessings. The tongue has power. You can speak the promises of God and believe them and watch Him work. or you can speak negative, complaining words, and watch it work. Both will reap a harvest. If you constantly speak negative things about yourself or others, do not be surprised if it doesn’t become true in your life.
We reap what we sow.
As we get more and more into the latter days we need to get rid of the false beliefs and teachings we have clung to. God will do it if we don’t. Scripture says that we are to judge ourselves lest we be judged with the world. In these last days, the things we have done or not done can come back to haunt us if we refuse to see it and confess it to the Lord to change it. This goes for entire churches, not just individuals; as it shows in Revelation. So, when we see wrong things in the church we need to speak out about it. This is judging ourselves as a body. It is not complaining. (1 Cor. 11:31-32, 1 John 1:9-10, Rev. Chapters 1-3)
As we move into these latter days we are going to face tough times. We will see that the things we complained about and disputed over, really do not matter. When you can barely afford heat, new carpet won’t matter. When you have to quietly meet in a hidden basement because of persecution, having the latest sound systems and praise music, won’t matter any more. There are believers all over the world, who have nothing. While we bicker and destroy peoples faith because of opinions on a building or types of paint, or views on doctrines.
Only God will matter, as He leads us through the dark dry desert in those days.
Don’t be like Lot’s wife, who desired the fine things and life of Sodom.(Gen. 19)
Understand that the Bible is full of these warnings for a reason. It is not about murmuring and complaining. God can handle your complaints.
It’s about looking back after putting your hand to the plow. (Luke 9;62)
It’s about never confessing Him as Lord, and never having a relationship, and never knowing Him. It’s about not trusting Him. The Israelites in the wilderness did not trust Him.
If we do not know Him. We cannot trust Him. We cannot abide in Him. (John 15:4)
Our complaining is a reflection of our feelings toward God and His promises. It drives people away from Christ and us. It drives blessings away.
Turn to Him and trust Him.
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Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ a collection of dystopian short stories.“The Future is Coming” and his latest book “The Latter Days‘ is a book on Bible Prophecy and avoiding the deceptions to come.
Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/
Follow Him on Free Life Blog: https://myfreelifeblog.com/
Read His Bible Studies on Blogger: https://chrisbunton.blogspot.com/
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