MURMURING AND COMPLAINING POLLUTE THE ATMOSPHERE

“Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves].” —Philippians 2:14(Amplified)

Complaining, murmuring and fault finding have a big impact on your life.  Murmuring and complaining can cause you to loose out on the very thing that God has promised you. The children of Israel, who murmured and complained against Moses because they did not like what they had to eat, ended up eating bread for forty years (Exodus 16).   Complaining even caused some of them to die prematurely. “Nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer” (I Corinthians 10:9).

When the people were complaining about their food, Moses told them that their complaints were not against him, but against the Lord. “Also Moses said, ‘This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord’” (Exodus 16:8).  

When the disciples did not understand something that Jesus had taught, He told them not to murmur.  “…Do not murmur among yourselves” (John 6:43).  What most people do not realize is that murmuring is an indistinct sound, and complaining is fault finding.  These by their very nature of being negative pollute and can even destroy the atmosphere of faith that we as Christians are to live in.  “Without faith it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:6).  Ask yourself the question, is murmuring and complaining against people, circumstances and things; or, against the Lord?   

 

When we speak negative words by murmuring and complaining, we are in reality saying, “God why have you not intervened in my behalf?”  Death and life are in the power of the tongue.  So what we say is important, positive or negative.  Determine today to live with a thankful heart and you will see what a difference it makes in your day.  Thank Him for what you do have—do not complain about what you lack.  A gentleman told me this recently, “I was complaining about the pain in my leg and how hard it was to get around, until I saw a man with no legs.” 

Prayer—Father I repent for murmuring and complaining about people, situations, and things.  I did not realize that I was complaining against You.  Lord I love You, please forgive me and restore me to a right relationship with You, and with Your help I will make a clear thankful sound praising You with a thankful heart, in Jesus Name. Amen.