Grumble No More: A Biblical View of Complaining
How could I have given her the purple cup? What on earth was I thinking? What kind of mother am I? Unable to read the mind of my 3-year-old who clearly wanted her blue cup? What a failure.
I imagine those were the thoughts going through my daughter’s head. Her unmet desire for a particular cup that happened to be dirty led to one of many complaints throughout the day.
I would dare to say most mothers are familiar with complaining. It is a particularly challenging part of our job to cultivate gratitude in our child’s heart. Complaining is natural for even the youngest of sinful hearts and is a beast to wrestle against.
But my daughter isn’t the only one who complains in our home. She is certainly the loudest offender, but she may not even be the worst. There is still another person in our home who really ought to know better by now, but still finds herself quick to complain when things don’t go her way.
That would be me.
To my credit, I don’t throw myself onto the floor and let my complaints flail through my limbs and express themselves through my cries. To my shame, I keep them hidden in the my heart and let them slowly cultivate the roots of discontentment.
My complaints find their footing in stolen sleep and time that isn’t my own. They grow in confidence when the needs of my children are greater than I have capacity (or desire) to handle. They keep company with thoughts of the past when the demands of my body and soul weren’t as many. They steal joy, inspire disobedience, and give way to other sins like anger, jealousy, and selfishness.
But God has been so kind to call me out for this sin through his incredible, living word.
I believe I’ve mentioned that our church is going through the Bible in a year together. We’re currently in the middle of Israel’s exodus from Egypt to the promised land and, let me tell you, it has been like looking in a mirror. There are several examples I could choose from, but we’ll stick with these two for illustration’s sake:
Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” Numbers 11:4-6
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Numbers 21:4-5
Reading these two passages out of context, you would think Egypt was paradise for the Israelites. The words they use to describe their time there are dressed in the unreliable reminiscence of discontented hearts. God has been vilified in their complaints, taking them from a time where all of their needs were met and bringing them into a land of uncertainty and dependence.
In the full context of the story laid out from Exodus through Numbers, we know that the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt (Exodus 1:8-11). They were mistreated and abused. Their labor was grueling and taxing (Exodus 1:13-14). They longed for a deliverer and desired to be set free (Exodus 2:23).
And God heard their cries (Exodus 2:24-25)!
He sent Moses to deliver them (Exodus 5:6-8). He proved his majesty, might, and authority in the plagues he sent to their enemies (Exodus 7:14-12:32). He performed unbelievable miracles to rescue them (Exodus 14) and gave supernatural signs that his presence was with them (Exodus 13:21-22). When they were in the wilderness, he provided food out of thin air and water from a rock (Exodus 16-17). He faithfully brought them to the horizon of the promised land and what did they do?
They complained. A lot.
They were tired of this miracle food God had provided. They were frustrated with the long, uncomfortable journey they had embarked on. They even complained about the beautiful promised land that God had, you know, promised them! This spirit of discontentment led them to long for slavery.
When our pastor preached over this section of Scripture, one point he made that has cemented itself in my heart is that the Israelites weren’t hungry. They complained of hunger, but they never actually went hungry. They had food. God had provided food in unimaginable ways, they had just grown dissatisfied with it.
If that doesn’t sum up where I’m at in life, I don’t know what does. God has blessed me beyond what I deserve and I look at it all and say “Ugh, but I’m so tired. Can’t I just get a break for one day?”
While it is so easy to read their story and think “Guys, c’mon! This is ridiculous! Just get over it!” it is also incredibly easy to see our own stories reflected in this passage. Inconveniences, unexpected circumstances, challenges, hardships - they all call out tempting invitations to long for simpler times that devalue the blessings of our present moments The discontentment that stirred in the hearts of the Israelites continues to stir in our own.
But just like them, we are not left without hope.
Paul offers an amazing commentary on the stories we’ve mentioned and leaves us with an encouragement we would be wise to take to heart:
“Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:6-13
You may be like me and see a very ugly version of yourself reflected in the stories found in Numbers. But don’t despair. Rather, heed the words of Paul and see these stories as an example. Rejoice knowing you’re not alone in your temptations to give way to complaining. There is no temptation we face that is ours alone to bear. God is faithful to provide the means to escape and help you endure in a way that glorifies him and strengthens your faith.
When the temptation to complain threatens to overtake you, pause. Pause and look around. Put on your gospel-colored glasses and look at what God has given you. I am sleep deprived because I have two precious young children. I am low on free time because God granted me the desire to stay home with my kids in their little years. I am weary from the fight against my own sin because God has undeservedly saved my soul and calls me to put those sins to death.
No matter our circumstances, we can be content because God has graciously brought us to face whatever wilderness we may be walking through. And the blessing of contentment in Christ does not stop with us. It bears witness to a watching world.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Philippians 2:14-16
Don’t let discontentment distract you from the glory of God. Shine like lights in a world that is perpetually dissatisfied with life. Let him rightfully reign on the throne of your heart and let his unmerited grace silence rising complaints. Our eternal promised land is on the horizon. Don’t let complaints cloud the glory of what God has done and has promised to do. Let us rejoice and grumble no more.
