GodSprings - March 16, 2016

Should I Still Complain?

Do everything without grumbling or arguing. Philippians 2:14 (NIV)

A monk joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. After the first 10 years his superior called him in and asked, "Do you have anything to say?" The monk replied, "Food bad." After another 10 years the monk again had opportunity to voice his thoughts. He said, "Bed hard." Another 10 years went by and again he was called in before his superior. When asked if he had anything to say, he responded, "I quit." "It doesn't surprise me a bit. You've done nothing but complain ever since you got here."

Complaining seems to be one of the most commonly accepted sins among Christians. What makes matters worse is that some people see nothing wrong with complaining. We can complain about almost anything: the weather (“It’s too hot!”), our food (“It’s too cold!”), our taxes being too high, and our bonuses being too low. Then, of course, we complain about traffic, as well as long lines, politics, gas prices, and dropped cell phone calls. We even bring our complaints into church: the sermon was too long, the sermon was too short, the music was too loud, and the list goes on.

God clearly and conclusively condemns all complaining and commands us to stay away from complaining altogether. We are told in today’s verse to do everything without complaining. And yes, everything means everything!

Paul is encouraging the Philippians to move onward and upward in their relationship with God. He wants them to rise above their circumstances and take charge of their attitudes and actions.

Not everything is going to go our way in this life. Not everyone is going to like us or agree with our decisions, and not everyone is going to treat us fairly. Paul knew this all too well, as he was writing this letter from prison, even though he had committed no crime. If anyone had reason to complain, Paul had plenty. But he knew that complaining was not God’s way. We may not be able to control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond. And complaining should never be the response.

At the core of complaining is discontentedness with God. Complaining says that we dislike what God has allowed in our life. Complaining says, “If I were God, I would do things differently” Complaining tears down instead of building up.

We might wish that Paul had said, “Do most things without complaining,” he did not. The command is to do everything without complaining. As someone once said, “Instead of complaining that the rosebush is full of thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses.”