A Word for Saints with Complaints
Selected Scriptures
1. The command against complaining
Philippians 2:14, (NIV)
Do everything without complaining or arguing,
2. The consequences of complaining
1st Complaining can become a way of life
Exodus 15:24, (NLT)
Then the people complained and turned against Moses. "What are we going to drink?" they demanded.
Exodus 16:2, (NLT)
There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron.
Exodus 16:9, (NLT)
Present yourselves before the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.
Exodus 17:2, (NLT)
So once more the people complained against Moses.
Numbers 11:1,
Soon the people began to complain about their hardship
Numbers 11:4, (NLT)
And the people of Israel also began to complain.
Numbers 14:2, (NLT)
They complained.
Numbers 14:27, (NLT)
The LORD said, “How long must I put up with this wicked community and its complaints about me?
2nd Complaining distorts our view of reality
Exodus 16:2, (NLT)
There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. "If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt," they moaned. "There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death."
3rd Complaining questions God’s care for us and His plan for our lives
Exodus 16:7-8, (NLT)
In the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaints, which are against him, not against us. What have we done that you should complain about us?" Then Moses added, "The LORD will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for he has heard all your complaints against him. What have we done? Yes, your complaints are against the LORD, not against us."
Exodus 16:9-10, (NLT)
Then Moses said to Aaron, "Announce this to the entire community of Israel: 'Present yourselves before the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.'" And as Aaron spoke to the whole community of Israel, they looked out toward the wilderness. There they could see the awesome glory of the LORD in the cloud.
4th Complaining focuses on what God isn’t doing instead of what God is doing
Numbers 11:4, (NLT)
Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. "Oh, for some meat!" they exclaimed. But now.... All we ever see is this manna!"
Psalm 78:18, (NLT)
They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved.
Psalm 78:19-21, (NLT)
They even spoke against God himself, saying, "God can't give us food in the wilderness. Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out, but he can't give his people bread and meat." When the Lord heard them, he was furious.
5th Complaining fosters unbelief
Numbers 13:31-32,
But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. "We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites:
Numbers 14:1, (NLT)
Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. "If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!" they complained. "Why is the LORD taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt?"
6th Complaining gives voice to demonic wisdom
Numbers 14:3-4, (NLT)
"Why is the LORD taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt?" Then they plotted among themselves, "Let's choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!"
James 3:15, (NIV)
Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
7th Complaining gives voice to things that diminish our future
Numbers 14:26-30,
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "How long must I put up with this wicked community and its complaints about me? Yes, I have heard the complaints the Israelites are making against me. Now tell them this: 'As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say. You will all drop dead in this wilderness! Because you complained against me, every one of you who is twenty years old or older and was included in the registration will die. You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
Proverbs 18:21, (NIV)
The tongue has the power of life and death,
Proverbs 12:13, (NIV)
An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble. From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.
3. Course correction from complaining
1st Recognize the damage complaining does in your life
2nd Repent of complaining
3rd Reshape your response to life
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
