Complaining

“And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.” (Numbers 11:1, ESV)

If we are honest with ourselves, complaining is something with which we all struggle. Here the nation of Israel complained about their misfortunes. Because of their complaining, the Lord’s anger burned and destroyed some of the outlying parts of the camp.

Why is complaining about our misfortunes a problem? Complaining is a problem because it is a questioning of the Lord’s sovereignty over all, His infinite power, and His loving provision for us. We find the root of our complaining in a lack of faith.

Complaining has devastating consequences. Complaining can spread among a group of people like a wildfire. It can divide a group of people. Complaining can cause other people to shy away from us. It can hinder the progress of individuals and groups who the Lord calls to join Him in His sovereign program.

If you find yourself complaining, take a moment to stop and reflect on what you are accomplishing. You will find that your complaining will not make the situation any better. In fact, it normally makes things worse.

This does not mean that you must enjoy a difficult situation. It does not mean that you should remain passive and not take appropriate actions to solve a difficult situation. It does mean that you must stop complaining about it.

You see, complaining is part of the epic struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. It is something that by God’s grace, we can conquer. Since it is a struggle of the flesh, our only hope for victory is a Spirit led walk (Galatians 5:16). The solution then is to confess the complaining as sin and trust the Lord even during the struggle.