We have all worked with that one person who just can’t seem to stop complaining. They are never happy with anything they do and they always seem to be complaining, grumbling, and not happy about something or the other. Well, don’t be quick to judge cause chances are that person might be you. It is human nature to complain. We have seen it in the Bible many times. When the Israelites were in the wilderness with Moses they complained all the time. They even complained that they were better off in Egypt as slaves.
We see this in the workplace all the time, when people encounter an issue or a problem they start complaining and blaming each other instead of working together to find a solution to the problem. More often than not, it is those who do not complain and instead look for ways to fix the issue that end up finding a solution for the problem anyway. As a Christian are you a chronic complainer or do you look for ways to make the best of the situation that God has put you in?
When Paul was addressing the Christian congregation he had established in Philippi he had addressed this very problem about people complaining. In Philippians 2:14-16 he said “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” Paul says very clearly here to do everything without complaining. The key word here is everything. How often do we complain about things at home, at church, at work, or at school? How often do we complain about others not doing something? or others not doing that which you could have done yourself?
When you start complaining you are showing to God that you do not have patience and also that you are reacting to a situation rather than thinking through it and trusting in God. James 5:8-10 says “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!.” As Christians, it is essential to our spiritual growth that we stop complaining start being patient, and start trusting in God instead.
As Christians, we need to stop grumbling against one another and start working together, especially in the Church. We should also take some time every week to see if we are complaining more than we should be as this will give us a chance to examine ourselves before God and ask him for guidance to correct our way of thinking. Once we start doing this more often, not only will our walk with Jesus be stronger but we will also have stronger relationships with the people in our lives. Let us be real, no one can stand a chronic complainer and we want to make sure that as Christians we don’t turn into one ourselves.