Thread: hmmmmm....Are You A Murmuring, Whinning, and Complaining Christian?
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hmmmmm....Are You A Murmuring, Whinning, and Complaining Christian?
Posted : 27 Jul, 2011 08:37 PM
Murmuring and Complaining
by Mark Roberts
""And the people complained against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'"" (Exo. 15:23-24).
It was not the last time Israel would grumble about Moses, his leadership, or the provisions for their time in the wilderness. In what becomes an all too predictable pattern Israel whines and fusses about nearly everything. Murmuring becomes their hallmark.
Alas, spiritual Israel often identifies to closely with its physical namesake. Murmuring and complaining go on today among God's people. Among the habits of ineffective Christians this issue of Abundant Life focuses upon this habit may be the most common, and even the most destructive. A failure to pray affects me, but when I moan and whine I have the potential to affect others. Let's learn why people murmur and complain, why it offends God, and how to overcome it.
The hard truth is that people murmur and complain because they have far too high an estimate of themselves. Their own self-importance has become inflated to the point where when things don't go the way they wanted they are not afraid to say something about it. I am important, I deserve, I need - the big ""I"" is the heart of all complaining. This is an easy point to demonstrate. When is the last time you complained that you did not have a chauffeured limousine to pick you up for church services? Probably never, because we do not believe we are entitled to a limo, nor do we expect one. However, if your car broke down and you had to walk the last half mile to church you might complain bitterly to anyone who would listen. Interestingly, brethren in Africa regularly walk much longer distances to services without giving it a second thought. It is all about your expectations and what you think you deserve, isn't it? ""These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts (desires -MR) . . . ."" (Jude 1:16).
Complaining of this sort offends God deeply. Psalm 95 explains why. In this review of Israel's history the psalmist says ""When your fathers tested Me, They tried Me, though they had seen My work. For forty years I loathed that generation, And said they are a people who err in their heart, And they do not know My ways"" (Psalms 95:9-10). Israel's non-stop complaining revealed their hearts were not right. The Hebrew writer quotes this very psalm to warn us today of ""an evil heart of unbelief"" (3:12), showing how God still recognizes murmuring as a heart problem. What the complainer says out loud is simply a reflection of a heart that is corrupted (see Matthew 12:34). When I complain it may reveal any of a number of spiritual heart failures. My complaints may show that I am not happy with God's order of things (as the complaints of Korah and Dathan show, Num. 16:3ff). Whining may announce that I am not satisfied with God's blessings in this moment (as the complaint against manna showed, Num. 11:4). Grumbling may indicate I am unhappy I didn't get my way (1 Kings 21:3-4), or it may show that while I am obeying God in form I am doing so only under duress and unhappily (see 1 Peter 4:9). All of these betray a lack of trust in God, His ways, His timing, His blessings and His wisdom. Perpetual murmuring shows something deeply wrong in my spirituality.
It is not hard to remedy grumbling. First, I must acknowledge my own ego problem. Am I too self-centered or too determined to have my own way? Do I expect too much from God or others? Second, I must learn to think before I speak. Is what I am saying positive, edifying, and designed to build up? Third, I must learn to count my blessings. When I am in the midst of such abundance how can I whine about what is missing?
Show me a complaining Christian and I will show you an ineffective, unhappy saint. We cannot be an example to non-Christians and a help to our brethren when we are constantly directing everyone's attention to how miserable I am. Let's watch what we say - it may be saying more about us than we realize! ""Do all things without complaining"" (Phil 2:14).
hmmmmm....Are You A Murmuring, Whinning, and Complaining Christian?
Posted : 28 Jul, 2011 10:24 AM
Great word Ella, we should always speak the truth in love and at all times pray and give thanksgiving. I think some people are more blind to their own faults than others. Maybe, has something to do with self-righteousness like they are discussing in another thread, regarding the behavior of Pharisees? I think this type of spirit is very critical.
hmmmmm....Are You A Murmuring, Whinning, and Complaining Christian?
Posted : 28 Jul, 2011 12:16 PM
:applause:...Agree...Good Word...Heck ! I was just complaining this very morning that our talk last night had to end...always enjoy chattin with ya Ella...and now I read this post...we coverd the Topic of the People Groanin an Complain to Moses the 40 years through the desert...Must of been sheer agony for him [Moses] as well as God..and today the Lord has put it in you this Post to put it out here...Praise God...:yay:...now I gota figer somethin else to complain about...:goofball:...jus kiddin...thanxs for the Good Word...Blessings...xo
hmmmmm....Are You A Murmuring, Whinning, and Complaining Christian?
Posted : 29 Jul, 2011 04:49 AM
Hey Jude,
I enjoyed our chat as well as always..
Yes, this hit me too, complaining about the heat, complaining and murmuring about everything, it also brought to mind about what Paul said to the Philippian church, in chapter 4, how he LEARNED even during his times in prison and his suffering, how he learned how to be content in whatever situationor circumstances he was in, how he learned to be hungry, how to be full, how to be rich how to be poor, it didn't matter, he learned the art of contentment without complaingi and murmuring.
The operative word here is LEARN, we as Christian may learn many spiritual things, but we have NOT LEARNED the art nor the principles of contentment, or how to be satisfied with what we do have without complaining, whinning and murmuring. This is not to say we are to be complacent and slothful, but content until things get better and working with what we do have, or until we make things better, but God has done what He promised, and supplied our needs, and the rest is up to us.
But the problem is we don't put our faith and trust totally in Jesus as we should, and when God does grant us what He thinks we shuld have, we murmur becasue its not what WE THINK we need and in some cases its not what WE asked for, But it is what GOD felt was necessary for and what we should have according to His wil, and not our's
I will be ministering on this on 5th Sunday, and I have been working on bettering my skills and LEARNING how not to complain so much. :ROFL::dancingp:
hmmmmm....Are You A Murmuring, Whinning, and Complaining Christian?
Posted : 29 Jul, 2011 04:23 PM
Yup-A-Roo !!!...I was just rememberin I am out of coffee..gota go to the store & pick some up...Grumble...Moan...Complain...:boxing:...Dont ya know I~Self~ME gots Better Things To Be Doing with My Time Energy & Money...then I hear..."Look in the drawer"...Lo & Behold...Coffee !!! :bouncy:...I stopped complainin real quick :winksmile:...Thanxs for remindin me it was in there Father :bow:...My Point ?...Sometimes I Forget just How GOOD my simple life is...conciderin some folks Never have and Never will Hear the jingle..." Next Best Thing To Wakein Up Is Folgers In YOUR Cup " !!!...Made me realize that the Best 1st Thing to that is Sharing the Gospel with Those that Have Never Heard it and Some that Just Forgot & Need a Reminder...:purpleangel:...Blessings Ladies...Hava a Great Weekend & know that Yall are Luved...xo
