Five Actions to Overcome Complaining and Experience God’s Glory
Lately, I’ve been complaining about how my clothes don’t fit like they should. While we lived in the Farmhouse, I got out of the habit of exercising regularly. As we prepared to move, and then began to unpack, I ate what was easy and convenient more often than what was healthy.
I changed my eating habits as well as returned to exercising. However, I am past the age where weight drops off easily. I often feel as if I’m battling uphill with no success or end in sight.
I could buy a new wardrobe. I’m confident I would enjoy the process of shopping and attiring myself with pretty new pieces. Despite this, I like the clothes currently in my closet and don’t want to replace them. Honestly? I just want to feel as if I’m not a stuffed sausage.
God has revealed I must be more concerned with my complaining attitude over the issue of my present size. I definitely need to choose foods and activities that support my best health. In addition, I must change how I think and speak about the process. God brought this to light as I studied His Word.
Wisdom in the Torah
I am still journeying through the Torah. I reached the book of Deuteronomy and learned it is basically one long speech by Moses. Moses recounts everything that happened along the Israelite’s journey through the wilderness.
One phrase in Deuteronomy chapter one grabbed my attention. Moses summarizes the incident with the spies. Twelve spies went into the land, came back to the twelve tribes, and told them the land was filled with bounty. However, they also added it was filled with giants.
The nation of Israel got all worked up and fear spread like wildfire. They refused to go into the land. In Deuteronomy 1:26, Moses tells the Israelites their refusal was a rebellion against the command of the Lord.
The Grumbling Israelites
“You grumbled in your tents and said, ‘The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us.”
Deuteronomy 1:27
I admit, some of my grumbling has a similar sound. I wondered why God so “insensitively” created our bodies to change so much as we get older. In addition, I bemoaned where God has brought me. Furthermore, on certain days as I’ve exercised, I thought the instructor was trying to kill me.
The phrase that caught my interest in Deuteronomy 1:27 was “in your tents.”
Imagine with me, you’re standing in a crowd of people, and everyone is discussing the conflict between abundance and giants. You hear a mixture of hope and fear, confidence that crumbles into dread. Those who have the greatest fear make their voices heard above the voices confident in God. You replay the arguments in your head as you go back home ~ over and over and over.
The Israelites individually repeated and rehashed their fear. They grumbled to themselves, and they created private echo chambers which fueled their disillusionment. If you keep adding to a fire, it will rage hotter. If you combine small intense fires, you create an inferno.
The Struggle of Complaining
When we complain we fuel a fire. We don’t engage in looking for a solution. Instead, we create a habit of negativity that becomes addictive. The more we whine, the more negative thoughts become hard-wired into our brains and therefore into our attitudes. We become like the Israelites in the wilderness, unable to see the blessings and goodness of God. We only see how hard a circumstance is, or how different a situation is from what we expected.
Paul very clearly tells the believers in Philippi, “Do everything without complaining or arguing…” (Philippians 2:14). I bet some of you have read this verse, and just like me, thought, “right, like that’s going to happen.” We hear the command and feel the weight of impossibility. We wonder, “How in the world do we do that?” When you look at what Paul has already said in Philippians, he provides five actions that will help us.
United with Christ
First, we must dwell on being united with Christ (Philippians 2:1). Paul reminds us Christ loves us, and He gives us His Spirit. We have a personal relationship with God’s Holy Spirit. God provides immediate and continual communication for us with His Spirit.
We must take the time to discuss what we are thinking and feeling with God Himself. God allows us the space to speak freely, and we gain benefit from identifying our emotions to the One who created us to have emotions, and longs to comfort us with His love. We must choose not to be combative with God but seek to align with His wisdom.
Live Worthy of the Gospel
Second, we must each remind ourselves of our purpose as a follower of Jesus (Philippians 1:27-30). We are to “live [our] life worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27, CSB) We must remember Christ charged us with sharing the good news of salvation. Regardless of our circumstance, we must be proclaimers of truth and givers of grace. We live to honor God, period.
Focus on Helping Others
Third, we must shift our focus from ourselves to what is helpful to others (Philippians 2:3-4). Paul makes it clear we aren’t to ignore ourselves. However, we are not to be vain, nor always pushing our own agenda. Alternatively, we are to humbly consider what matters to others as significant.
As I study the story of the Israelites in the wilderness, I see God’s emphasis on community. Even though the tribes were separate, they were to work as one nation. Before the Israelites crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land, the tribes of Reuben and Gad asked to be given the land on the east side of the Jordan where they currently camped. God allowed their request on the contingency they agreed to go to battle with the rest of the tribes until every tribe had land to settle. The Lord required them to shift their focus so they included and prioritized others.
God is God, We are Not
Fourth, we must eliminate all thoughts and attitudes that place us on the same level as God (Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus Himself provides us with the correct attitude. Even though Christ was one with God, as God incarnate, He obeyed whatever God said.
When we complain, we often position ourselves as the one who knows best. We have it all figured out, and we are upset because life isn’t going as we believe it should. We exhibit the same attitude as Adam and Eve; we declare we want to follow our own definition of good. In addition, we display the same attitude as the Israelites at the Jordan; we argue God is not really good.
Dwell on the Wonder of Salvation
Last, we must live out the wondrous truth that God has rescued and redeemed us (Philippians 2:12-13). God Almighty, Creator and Sovereign King, gives us salvation. He loves us so much; He provided a way for each of us to have a personal and intimate relationship with the One who rules over everything.
God is the One in charge. He is LORD. Moreover, He loves us, and He blesses us with good. Because of His wisdom, He always chooses best. He can be trusted to be with us and provide what we need to live this life with His joy and peace, regardless of the circumstances.
Choose Submission
I know it isn’t easy to stop complaining. I believe we all have a tantrum-loving toddler inside continually begging to break free. We must view complaining as a red flag to a deeper issue. When we consistently complain, we are stating God isn’t good, nor is He able to satisfy us. Complaints are a sign of our inability to surrender.
Please understand, God never says He doesn’t want to hear our hurts, disappointments, and concerns. However, God is holy and righteous, and we must always recognize His sovereignty. When we submit to God by following Paul’s directives, complaining will take a back seat to experiencing the glory of being in a relationship with the King of Kings.
Thumbs down Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
