The weather is turning cooler, the leaves are changing, and we are bringing our sweaters and coats out of storage…..you know what that means……..cold and flu season!  But seriously, I have seen lots of ads for cold and flu medications lately– both those to treat the symptoms and those that are preventative (hopefully).  There is one particular “sickness” that seems to be especially contagious and that I have been prone to catch (and unfortunately have passed on to others); the “sickness” of grumbling and complaining.

We can learn a lot about grumbling and complaining and its consequences from the Israelites.  They grumbled about the food, the water, the leadership, the journey — even after the Lord performed mighty works of provision, guidance, and deliverance before them again and again.  And the consequences were very serious.  “The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. ‘You have killed the Lord’s people,’ they said” (Numbers 16:41).  The footnote in my Bible for that verse says this:  “Just one day after Korah and his followers were executed for grumbling and complaining against God, the Israelites started all over with more muttering and complaining.  Their negative attitude only caused them to rebel even more and to bring about even greater trouble.  It eroded their faith in God and encouraged thoughts of giving up and turning back.  The path to open rebellion against God begins with dissatisfaction and skepticism, than moves to grumbling about both God and present circumstances.  Next comes bitterness and resentment, followed finally by rebellion and open hostility.  If you are often dissatisfied, skeptical, complaining, or bitter — beware!  These attitudes lead to rebellion and separation from God.  Any choice to side against God is a step in the direction of letting go of Him completely and making your own way through life.”¹

I can tend to be harsh in my judgment of those Israelites.  But in reality, how different am I?  The Lord has done mighty works in my life and that of my loved ones again and again.  And how often do I find myself complaining about discomforts and minor inconveniences?
Sometimes though, we do have legitimate problems in our lives.  Rather than grumbling about it to others, we should take it in prayer to the only One who can truly change the situation.  In Numbers 11 we see a time when the Israelites complained, and then Moses complained.  God responded negatively to the Israelites and positively to Moses.  Why?   Because the Israelites were complaining to one another (so nothing was accomplished), and Moses took his complaint directly to God (who can solve anything).²

Sisters, rather than succumbing to and passing along the sickness of grumbling and complaining, let us, by His grace, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thess. 5:16-18).  “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Phil. 2:14 & 15).

Stacey Poplawski
WOC Graduate

1 The Life Application Bible, New International Version Edition, Tyndale, Wheaton, IL 1991, p.244.
2 The Life Application Bible, New International Version Edition, Tyndale, Wheaton, IL 1991, p.231.